Having been divided into two sharply contrasting groups or opinions, or having light waves restricted to specific orientations.
From 'polar' (Greek 'polos' meaning axis) plus '-ize' suffix. The optical meaning came first in the 1800s, then the social/political meaning developed by the mid-20th century as a metaphor.
The journey from physics to politics shows how scientific metaphors shape our understanding - 'polarized' light helped us conceptualize how societies can split into opposing forces, giving us a precise term for the dangerous divisions that threaten democratic discourse.
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