ˌhistəˈrēsə̇s noun
( plural hystere·ses -ēˌsēz)
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek hysterēsis shortcoming, deficiency, need, from hysterein to come late, be behind (from hysteros later) + -sis — more at out
1.
a. : the lagging of a physical effect on a body behind its cause (as behind changed forces and conditions)
there is a good deal of hysteresis , that is, a time lag between the cooling and the setting to be expected of the jelly — J.W.McBain
all manometers must be tested for hysteresis as well as for sensitivity and natural frequency — H.D.Green
b. : a lagging of elongation behind tensile stress and of contraction behind release from stress in an elastic solid due to internal friction
c. : a lagging of magnetization and hence of magnetic induction behind magnetic intensity and of demagnetization behind reduction of intensity in a ferromagnetic substance (as iron)
d. : a lagging of electric polarization behind electric intensity and of depolarization behind reduction of intensity in a dielectric
2.
a. : the influence of the previous history or treatment of a body on its subsequent response to a given force or changed condition
the influence of the previous treatment of a gel upon its behavior is known as hysteresis — B.S.Meyer & D.B.Anderson
a study has been made of the phenomenon of rennet hysteresis , in which the time of coagulation of heated milk is progressively greater with increase in the time interval between heating and addition of rennet — J.S.Fruton
b. : the changed response of a body that results from this influence
the permeability depends on the past history (magnetically speaking) of the iron, a phenomenon known as hysteresis — F.W.Sears
3. : hysteresis loss