odpor

Odpor is a noun in Czech and Slovak that denotes resistance or opposition. It is used for both abstract and physical meanings: the act of opposing a person, plan, or authority, and the capacity of a material or system to resist a force or influence.

In science and engineering, odpor refers to electrical resistance, the property that limits the flow of electric current. In Czech and Slovak technical language the term is standard for this physical quantity, whose unit is the ohm (symbol Ω). Ohm’s law, which relates voltage, current and resistance, is commonly written as V = IR, illustrating how resistance affects current for a given voltage.

In everyday language, odpor can describe a person’s or group's opposition to an idea, policy, or decision. Phrases such as "vyjádřit odpor proti návrhu" (to express opposition to a proposal) are typical examples of its use in civic and political discourse.

Historically, the word appears in contexts of dissent and resistance to authority or occupation. While "odboj" is often used for organized underground resistance, "odpor" remains a general term for opposition, defiance, or noncooperation in various periods and settings.

Etymologically, odpor is a native Czech and Slovak word with cognates in related Slavic languages, reflecting a common semantic core around opposing force or influence. The term remains widely used in science, everyday speech, and historic or political discussion.