barium titanate
C2 (Specialist)Technical / Scientific
Definition
Meaning
An inorganic chemical compound (BaTiO₃) with ferroelectric properties.
A perovskite-structured ceramic material widely used in electronics, particularly in capacitors and piezoelectric devices, for its high dielectric constant and ability to generate an electrical charge under mechanical stress.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a technical term in chemistry, materials science, and electrical engineering. It is a concrete noun referring to a specific chemical compound. In non-technical contexts, it is rarely encountered.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No differences in usage or spelling.
Connotations
None beyond the technical meaning.
Frequency
Equally rare in general language across both dialects, used exclusively in the same technical/scientific fields.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The capacitor is based on [barium titanate].The high dielectric constant of [barium titanate] makes it suitable for...The sample contained a thin film of [barium titanate].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Only in highly specific business contexts related to electronic component manufacturing.
Academic
Common in materials science, chemistry, and electrical engineering research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
The primary context; used in specifications, datasheets, and technical discussions about capacitors, transducers, and advanced ceramics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The barium-titanate-based sensor was tested.
American English
- The barium titanate sensor was tested.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Barium titanate is an important material in modern electronics.
- The ferroelectric properties of doped barium titanate are critical for the performance of multilayer ceramic capacitors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Barium Titanate: 'BAT' (Ba-T) for a high-powered 'battery' in a tiny capacitor.
Conceptual Metaphor
A 'spring' for electricity: it generates a charge when squeezed (piezoelectric effect).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- It is a compound name, not a descriptive phrase. Transliterate directly: "титанат бария".
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling 'titanate' as 'titanite' (which is a different mineral).
- Treating it as two separate, unrelated words ('barium' and 'titanate') rather than a single compound noun.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is barium titanate most commonly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a stable ceramic, it is generally safe when handled in solid form. However, like many chemical compounds, the powder form can be hazardous if inhaled.
Its primary use is in the production of ceramic capacitors for electronic circuits due to its excellent dielectric properties.
While it can occur naturally as the mineral tausonite, it is extremely rare. For industrial use, it is almost always synthetically produced.
It means the material can have a spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by applying an external electric field, similar to how ferromagnetic materials react to magnetic fields.