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gravity

noun, grav·i·ty often attributive \ˈgra-və-tē\

: a very serious quality or condition : the condition of being grave or serious

: the natural force that tends to cause physical things to move towards each other : the force that causes things to fall towards the Earth

plural grav·i·ties

Full Definition of GRAVITY

a : dignity or sobriety of bearing

b : importance, significance; especially : seriousness

c : a serious situation or problem

: weight

a (1) : the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface (2) : a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions which occur because of mass between particles, between aggregations of matter (as stars and planets), and between particles (as photons) and aggregations of matter, that is 10^-39 times the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over macroscopic distances especially between aggregations of matter —called also gravitation, gravitational force — compare electromagnetism 2a, strong force, weak force

b : acceleration of gravity

c : specific gravity

See gravity defined for English-language learners

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Origin of GRAVITY

Middle French or Latin; Middle French gravité, from Latin gravitat-, gravitas, from gravis

First Known Use: 1505

Related to GRAVITY

Synonyms: earnest, graveness, earnestness, intentness, serious-mindedness, seriousness, soberness, sobriety, solemnity, solemnness, staidness

Antonyms: facetiousness, flightiness, flippancy, frivolity, frivolousness, levity, lightheartedness, lightness, play, unseriousness

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

Rhymes with GRAVITY

cavity

GRAVITY Defined for Kids

gravity

noun grav·i·ty \ˈgra-və-tē\

plural grav·i·ties

Definition of GRAVITY for Kids

: a force of attraction that tends to draw particles or bodies together

: the attraction of bodies by the force of gravity toward the center of the earth

: great seriousness

Word Root of GRAVITY

The Latin word gravis, meaning “heavy” or “serious,” gives us the root grav. Words from the Latin gravis have something to do with heaviness or seriousness. Something grave, or important, such as a situation, requires serious thought and consideration. To aggravate is to make a situation more serious. Gravity is a force that pulls everything towards the ground making it feel heavy.

Medical Dictionary

gravity

noun grav·i·ty \ˈgrav-ət-ē\

plural grav·i·ties

Medical Definition of GRAVITY

: weight 1—used chiefly in the phrase center of gravity

a : the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface; broadly : gravitation b : acceleration of gravity c : specific gravity

—gravity adjective