Standard Lemma guide

reactance

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The opposition to the change in flow of current in an alternating current circuit, due to inductance and capacitance; the imaginary part of the impedance. Symbol: X.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: electrics

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A similar effect in magnetism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An emotional reaction in direct contradiction to rules or regulations that threaten or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

opposition to the flow of electric current resulting from inductance and capacitance (rather than resistance)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: electrical phenomenon

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English react Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -iader. Old French -ancebor. Middle English -aunce English -ance English reactance From react + -ance.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: reaktanssi — opposition to the change in current
  • German: Blindwiderstand — opposition to the change in current
  • German: Reaktanz — opposition to the change in current
  • Greek: άεργη αντίσταση (áergi antístasi) — opposition to the change in current
  • Indonesian: reaktans — opposition to the change in current
  • Irish: imoibríocht — opposition to the change in current
  • Japanese: 誘導抵抗 (yūdōteikō) — opposition to the change in current
  • Polish: reaktancja — opposition to the change in current
  • Romanian: reactanță — opposition to the change in current
  • Welsh: adweithedd — opposition to the change in current