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Definition of perturbation - 3 dictionary results

per⋅tur⋅ba⋅tion

  [pur-ter-bey-shuhn]
Use perturbation in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act of perturbing.
2. the state of being perturbed.
3. mental disquiet, disturbance, or agitation.
4. a cause of mental disquiet, disturbance, or agitation.
5. Astronomy. deviation of a celestial body from a regular orbit about its primary, caused by the presence of one or more other bodies that act upon the celestial body.
Origin:
1325–75; < L perturbātiōn- (s. of perturbātiō; see perturb, -ation ); r. ME perturbacioun < AF < L, as above

Related forms:
per⋅tur⋅ba⋅tion⋅al, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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per·tur·ba·tion   (pûr'tər-bā'shən)   
n.  

    1. The act of perturbing.

    2. The state of being perturbed; agitation.

    3. A small change in a physical system.

    4. Physics & Astronomy Variation in a designated orbit, as of a planet, resulting from the influence of one or more external bodies.

    1. A small change in a physical system.

    2. Physics & Astronomy Variation in a designated orbit, as of a planet, resulting from the influence of one or more external bodies.

per'tur·ba'tion·al adj.
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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Encyclopedia

perturbation

in astronomy, deviation in the motion of a celestial object caused either by the gravitational force of a passing object or by a collision with it. For example, predicting the Earth's orbit around the Sun would be rather straightforward were it not for the slight perturbations in its orbital motion caused by the gravitational influence of the other planets. The search for an eighth planet, which culminated in the discovery of Neptune, was undertaken in part because some astronomers believed that the orbit of Uranus was being gravitationally perturbed by some object beyond it.

Learn more about perturbation with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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