# capacitance

/kəˈpæsətəns/ (US) · /kəpˈæsɪtəns/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/capacitance
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

the ability of a material or object to store an electric charge. It is measured in a unit called a farad.

For teachers: the ability of a system to store an electric charge. It is defined as the ratio of the electric charge stored on a conductor to the potential difference applied to it.

## Examples

- The capacitor has a high capacitance to hold more charge.
- Engineers must calculate the total capacitance of the circuit to ensure the power supply remains stable.
- The capacitance of the parallel-plate capacitor increases as the distance between the plates decreases, following the inverse relationship dictated by the permittivity of the dielectric material.

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