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Glite Dictionary
🔀 Two stable states 🔀 Switching device
bistable

bistable

8.8
Can stay in two stable states, for example in images or electronic circuits
  • adjective
  • /ˈbaɪˌsteɪbəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : bistable
  • In biology, a bistable gene regulatory network can lead to two distinct cell types under the same conditions.

Examples

  • The system is bistable within a range of environmental conditions (i.e., for R1 < R < R2 in figure 3a).

    Academic text (2010)

  • AFSSS is a bistable radar?

    Blog text (6)

  • A bistable system can switch between two stable states based on external inputs.

  • The bistable nature of the circuit allows it to maintain its state even after power is turned off.

Compounds

bistable relay
  • Specialized
7.8

A switch that stays in one of two positions without power and changes when briefly given electricity

Surface Forms

bistable positive

Morphology

bistable = stable (transparent) = bi + stable

The meaning is directly the prefix 'bi' (two) applied to the adjective 'stable', yielding 'able to exist in two stable states'.

Etymology

Bistable comes from bi- meaning 'two' (as in bicycle) and stable meaning 'steady' or 'not changing'. So a bistable image or system can sit in two steady states and your view can flip between them, which is why we call it 'bistable'.