gravity
pronunciation
How to pronounce gravity in British English:
UK [ˈɡrævəti]
How to pronounce gravity in American English:
US [ˈɡrævəti]
-
- Noun:
- (physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface
- a manner that is serious and solemn
- a solemn and dignified feeling
Word Origin
- gravity
- gravity: [16] Gravity comes from Latin gravitās, a derivative of the adjective gravis ‘heavy, important’. This in turn goes back to a prehistoric Indo-European *gru-, which also produced Greek bárus ‘heavy’ (source of English baritone [19] and barium [19]), Sanskrit gurús ‘heavy, dignified’ (whence English guru [17]), Latin brūtus ‘heavy’, hence ‘cumbersome, stupid’ (from which English gets brute), Gothic kaurus ‘heavy’, and Latvian grūts ‘heavy, pregnant’.English descendants of gravis, apart from gravity, include grave ‘serious’, gravid ‘pregnant’ [16], gravitate [17], grief, and grudge.=> baritone, barium, brute, grave, grief, grudge, guru
- gravity (n.)
- c. 1500, "weight, dignity, seriousness, solemnity of deportment or character, importance," from Old French gravité "seriousness, thoughtfulness" (13c.) and directly from Latin gravitatem (nominative gravitas) "weight, heaviness, pressure," from gravis "heavy" (see grave (adj.)). The scientific sense of "downward acceleration of terrestrial bodies due to gravitation of the Earth" first recorded 1620s. The words gravity and gravitation have been more or less confounded; but the most careful writers use gravitation for the attracting force, and gravity for the terrestrial phenomenon of weight or downward acceleration which has for its two components the gravitation and the centrifugal force. [Century Dictionary, 1902]
Example
- 1. The only force holding them together is gravity .
- 2. Gravity keeps the clusters themselves the same size .
- 3. The gravity of her crime is not in doubt .
- 4. His religious gravity has long overshadowed his gifts as an artistic innovator .
- 5. Positive support is like gravity .