Two AC waveforms have the same frequency, but their cycles do not begin at the same instant. What term describes that timing difference?

Phase refers to the specific position of a point in time on a waveform cycle. When two alternating current (AC) waveforms share the exact same frequency but their peaks and troughs do not align at the same instant, they are described as being "out of phase." This timing difference is measured in degrees, from 0 to 360, representing a full cycle. Distractors like "Offset" typically refer to a DC voltage level shifted away from zero, while "Polarity" simply dictates the positive or negative orientation of the wave.