[pen-juh-luh
m, pen-duh-] 
| 1. | a body so suspended from a fixed point as to move to and fro by the action of gravity and acquired momentum. |
| 2. | Horology. a swinging lever, weighted at the lower end, for regulating the speed of a clock mechanism. |
| pen·du·lum (pěn'jə-ləm, pěn'dyə-, pěn'də-) n.
[New Latin, probably from Italian pendolo, pendulous, pendulum, from Latin pendulus, hanging; see pendulous.] |
| pendulum (pěn'jə-ləm) Pronunciation Key
A mass hung from a fixed support so that it is able to swing freely under the influence of gravity. Since the motion of pendulums is regular and periodic, they are often used to regulate the action of various devices, especially clocks. |