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gravity

 - 7 dictionary results

grav⋅i⋅ty

[grav-i-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the force of attraction by which terrestrial bodies tend to fall toward the center of the earth.
2. heaviness or weight.
3. gravitation in general.
4. acceleration of gravity.
5. a unit of acceleration equal to the acceleration of gravity. Symbol: g
6. serious or critical nature: He seemed to ignore the gravity of his illness.
7. serious or dignified behavior; dignity; solemnity: to preserve one's gravity.
8. lowness in pitch, as of sounds.

Origin:
1500–10; < L gravitāt- (s. of gravitās) heaviness, equiv. to grav(is) heavy, grave 2 + -itāt- -ity


6. seriousness, danger, emergency, import.

acceleration of gravity

–noun Physics.
the acceleration of a falling body in the earth's gravitational field, inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the body to the center of the earth, and varying somewhat with latitude: approximately 32 ft. (9.8 m) per second per second. Symbol: g
Also called gravity.


Origin:
1885–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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grav·i·ty   (grāv'ĭ-tē)   
n.  
  1. Physics

    1. The natural force of attraction exerted by a celestial body, such as Earth, upon objects at or near its surface, tending to draw them toward the center of the body.

    2. The natural force of attraction between any two massive bodies, which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

    3. Gravitation.

  2. Grave consequence; seriousness or importance: They are still quite unaware of the gravity of their problems.

  3. Solemnity or dignity of manner.


[French gravité, heaviness, from Old French, from Latin gravitās, from gravis, heavy; see gwerə-1 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

gravity

Another term for gravitation, especially as it affects objects near the surface of the Earth.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

gravity 
1509, "weight, dignity, seriousness," from L. gravitatem (nom. gravitas) "weight, heaviness, pressure," from gravis "heavy" (see grave (adj.)). The scientific sense of "force that gives weight to objects" first recorded 1641. Gravitate is first recorded 1692.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: acceleration of gravity
Function: noun
: the acceleration of a body in free fall under the influence of the earth's gravity expressed as the rate of increaseof velocity per unit of time with the value 980.665 centimeters per second per second —abbreviation g

Main Entry: grav·i·ty
Pronunciation: 'grav-&t-E
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
1 : WEIGHT 1 —used chiefly in the phrase center of gravity
2 a : the gravitational attraction of themass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface; broadly : GRAVITATION b : ACCELERATION OF GRAVITY c : SPECIFIC GRAVITYgravity adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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