An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A light whose electric vector of vibration is randomly oriented. Light is an → electromagnetic wave possessing an electric vector and an associated orthogonal magnetic vector. Both vectors are → transverse to the axis of propagation. In unpolarized light the electric and magnetic vibrations
occur in all possible planes. Ordinary light emitted by the Sun, by a living room lamp,
or by a candle flame is unpolarized light. → polarization.

See also: → un-; → polarized light.