gravitation

American  

[grav-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌgræv ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Physics.

   1. the force of attraction between any two masses.

   2. an act or process caused by this force.

2. a sinking or falling.

3. a movement or tendency toward something or someone.

   the gravitation of people toward the suburbs.

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gravitation British  

/ ˌɡrævɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the force of attraction that bodies exert on one another as a result of their mass

2. any process or result caused by this interaction, such as the fall of a body to the surface of the earth

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gravitation Scientific  

/ grăv′ĭ-tā′shən /

1. See gravity

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gravitation Cultural  

1. The force, first described mathematically by Isaac Newton, whereby any two objects in the universe are attracted toward each other. Gravitation holds the moon in orbit around the Earth, the planets in orbit around the sun, and the sun in the Milky Way. It also accounts for the fall of objects released near the surface of the Earth. The modern theory of gravitation is the general theory of relativity.

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Other Word Forms

• gravitational adjective
• nongravitation noun
• nongravitational adjective
• supergravitation noun

Etymology

Origin of gravitation

First recorded in 1635–45; from New Latin gravitātiōn- (stem of gravitātiō ), derivative of gravitāre “to obey the laws of gravitation”; gravitate, -ion

Example Sentences

Jones did it by showing that Ricardo had made these universal rules that he said were as certain as the principle of gravitation.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2025

While TV station owners are enjoying the changing tide by picking up valuable sports programming, they know the audience’s gravitation to streaming is not going to reverse.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2023

From a certain distance, the cluster was then 'captured' by the gravitation of the black hole.

From Science Daily • Oct. 10, 2023

In another speech that year, Kuroda described how, like a spacecraft attempting to move away from Earth's gravitation, "tremendous velocity" was needed to end Japan's deflationary equilibrium.

From Reuters • Apr. 7, 2023

Newton was making his discoveries about optics and gravitation.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman