A 'dielectric' is a nonconducting substance, for example an insulator. The term was coined by William Whewell in response to a request from Michael Faraday. Whewell considered "dia-electric", from the Greek "dia" meaning "through", since an electric field passes through the material but felt that "dielectric" was easier to pronounce . Although "dielectric" and "insulator" are generally considered synonymous, the term "dielectric" is more often used when considering the effect of alternating el… (More on Dielectric)