Conductivity

How to spell conductivity

12 letters · 5 syllables

How to pronounce conductivity

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does conductivity mean?

1. nounThe degree to which a material allows heat or electricity to pass through it.

Conductivity in a sentence

• Copper is prized for its high electrical conductivity.

• The lab measured the thermal conductivity of each insulating panel.

Where does conductivity come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This is a scientific noun assembled from Latin parts. At its core sits the verb ducere, which literally meant 'to lead' or 'to draw along', and the prefix con- meaning 'together', giving conducere, 'to lead together' or 'to bring along'. The English verb 'conduct' grew from this and came to describe the act of carrying or transmitting something, including heat and electricity, once physicists began studying those phenomena. The adjective 'conductive' was formed to describe a material able to carry such a flow, and adding the noun-forming suffix -ity produced 'conductivity', the measurable degree of that ability. The word is a relatively modern coinage, appearing in the early nineteenth century as electrical science developed, and the same ducere root still shows up in everyday words like 'produce', 'reduce' and 'aqueduct', which is a useful reminder that the spelling keeps the firm 'duct' in the middle.

How the word is built

• con- (together)
• duct (lead, from Latin ducere 'to lead')
• -ive (capable of)
• -ity (noun of quality)