solarization

noun

so·​lar·​i·​za·​tion ˌsō-lə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

plural solarizations

1

photography : a reversal of gradation in a photographic image obtained by intense or continued exposure

Solarization creates a partially reversed image with an unusual negative and positive appearance.

—Henry Horenstein

2

: the act or process of solarizing something: such as

a

agriculture : the use of solar energy to heat soil to a high temperature (as to control soilborne pests)

Solarization, a practice that's been around since the 1970s, uses a sheet of clear plastic film to concentrate the sun's heat and burn out weeds, weed seeds, many plant pathogens such as verticillium wilt, and even pests such as certain nematodes.

—Barbara Damrosch

b

: conversion to the use of solar power

For the last part of my statement I want to focus on the deployment of renewable energy and, in particular, the solarization of the island. There is no doubt that our best efforts should be directed towards maximizing the development of solar energy in Puerto Rico and focusing on how to store that energy …

—Ramon Cruz

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1