Hysteresis
/ˌhɪstəˈriːsɪs/noun
The dependence of a system’s state on its history, especially when the response lags behind the cause.
Did you know?The word was coined in 1890 by physicist James Alfred Ewing from Greek roots meaning “to lag behind,” a perfect name for materials that remember what happened to them.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὕστερος (hýsteros)
“later; behind; afterward”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὑστέρησις (hystérēsis)
“a being later or lacking; deficiency”
1890
English
hysteresis
“Ewing’s scientific term for delayed response or lag in a physical system”
Modern English
English
hysteresis
“the lagging of an effect behind its cause, especially in magnetic or mechanical systems”