impedance

noun

im·​ped·​ance im-ˈpē-dᵊn(t)s 

: something that impedes : hindrance: such as

a

: the apparent opposition in an electrical circuit to the flow of an alternating current that is analogous to the actual electrical resistance to a direct current and that is the ratio of effective electromotive force to the effective current

b

: the ratio of the pressure to the volume displacement at a given surface in a sound-transmitting medium

Examples of impedance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Natural behaviors like sneezing, chewing, or yawning can briefly break contact or, at a minimum, change the impedance of the earbud-skin connection. —IEEE Spectrum, 1 May 2019

The impedance scarcely varies from a nominal 6Ω over most of the frequency range. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Maybe the game won't sync across platforms, and the impedance of having to start all over will be enough to prevent notable devolution. —Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 5 Sep. 2024

Its frequency range is stated as an impressive 13 Hz to 35 kHz, and a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, dipping to 3 ohms. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 10 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

impedance

noun

im·​ped·​ance im-ˈpēd-ᵊn(t)s 

1

: the apparent opposition in an electrical circuit to the flow of an alternating current that is analogous to the actual electrical resistance to a direct current and that is the ratio of effective electromotive force to the effective current

2

: the ratio of the pressure to the volume displacement at a given surface in a sound-transmitting medium

3

: opposition to blood flow in the circulatory system