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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. The lagging of an effect behind its cause, as when the change in magnetism of a body lags behind changes in the magnetic field.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A lagging of one of two related phenomena behind the other. The changes in the thermo-electric and magnetic quality of stretched iron wire, due to cyclical variations in the stress to which it is subjected, lag behind the changes in stress, and this lagging is called hysteresis. The word is applied also to other physical phenomena of a similar character.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A property of a system such that an output value is not a strict function of the corresponding input, but also incorporates some lag, delay, or history dependence, and in particular when the response for a decrease in the input variable is different from the response for an increase. For example, a thermostat with a nominal setpoint of 75° might switch the controlled heat source on when the temperature drops below 74°, and off when it rises above 76°.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. A lagging or retardation of the effect, when the forces acting upon a body are changed, as if from velocity or internal friction; a temporary resistance to change from a condition previously induced, observed in magnetism, thermoelectricity, etc., on reversal of polarity.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. the lagging of an effect behind its cause; especially the phenomenon in which the magnetic induction of a ferromagnetic material lags behind the changing magnetic field

Etymologies

  1. Greek husterēsis, a shortcoming, from husterein, to come late, from husteros, late; see ud- in Indo-European roots.

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‘hysteresis’ has been looked up 1452 times, loved by 3 people, added to 17 lists, commented on 1 time, and has a Scrabble score of 16.