gravity wave

American  

noun

1. Astronomy, Physics. gravitational wave.

2. a wave created by the action of gravity on local variations in the density of a stratified fluid, as the atmosphere, or at an interface between fluids of different density, as a liquid and a gas.

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gravity wave British  

noun

1. a wave propagated in a gravitational field, predicted to occur as a result of an accelerating mass

2. a surface wave on water or other liquid propagated because of the weight of liquid in the crests

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Etymology

Origin of gravity wave

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

There are two ways the lightning may have formed within this ring-shaped gravity wave.

From Scientific American • Jun. 21, 2023

But if a gravity wave is pulsing through the Earth, making one of the tubes repeatedly infinitesimally longer and the other infinitesimally shorter, the beam will not recombine as expected.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2023

In turn, this information might help researchers better calibrate gravity wave detecting devices.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2023

The network was able to gather data that measured the gravity wave signals from this event, for students to use for research.

From Washington Times • Sep. 1, 2018

That day, when Curiosity looked to the horizon, it saw a sequence of straight, parallel rows of clouds flowing in the same direction: the first ground-based view of a gravity wave cloud.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 22, 2017