What is the term describing many operational amplifier circuits?

The term that describes many operational amplifier circuits is often referred to as "inverting." Inverting amplifiers are a fundamental configuration of operational amplifiers where the output voltage is inverted concerning the input voltage. This type of operation is characterized by a feedback mechanism where a portion of the output is fed back to the inverting input, allowing for amplification and phase reversal.

In an inverting configuration, if the input voltage is positive, the output voltage will be negative and vice versa, which is crucial for various applications requiring phase shifts or signal inversion. This characteristic makes inverting amplifiers a common choice in analog signal processing, as it allows for straightforward modifications of the input signal.

Other types of operational amplifier configurations, such as non-inverting amplifiers, summing amplifiers, and integrating amplifiers, serve very different purposes and are optimized for specific applications, distinguishing them from the broad categorization of many operational amplifier circuits as inverting.