Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

repulsion

 - 5 dictionary results

re⋅pul⋅sion

  [ri-puhl-shuhn]
Use repulsion in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act of repulsing or the state of being repulsed.
2. the feeling of being repelled, as by the thought or presence of something; distaste, repugnance, or aversion.
3. Physics. the force that acts between bodies of like electric charge or magnetic polarity, tending to separate them.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME < MF < ML repulsiōn- (s. of LL repulsiō), equiv. to L repuls(us) (see repulse ) + -iōn- -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To repulsion
re·pul·sion   (rĭ-pŭl'shən)   
n.  

  1. The act of repulsing or the condition of being repulsed.

  2. Extreme aversion.

  3. Physics The tendency of particles or bodies of the same electric charge or magnetic polarity to separate.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

repulsion 
1412, "repudiation," from L.L. repulsionem, noun of action from repellere (see repel). Meaning "action of forcing or driving back" is attested from 1547. Repulse (n. and v.) are attested from 1533, originally in Bellenden's Livy, from L. repulsus, pp. of repellere. Adj. repulsive is attested from 1611, from Fr. repulsif (14c.), from M.L. repulsivus, from pp. stem of repellere. Originally it meant "able to repel;" the sense of "causing disgust" is first recorded 1816.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: re·pul·sion
Pronunciation: ri-'p&l-sh&n
Function: noun
: the tendency of some linked genetic characters to be inheritedseparately because a dominant allele for each character occurs on the same chromosome as a recessive allele of the other —compare COUPLING 2
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

repulsion re·pul·sion (rĭ-pŭl'shən)
n.

  1. The act of repelling or driving apart.

  2. A feeling of extreme dislike.

  3. The tendency of particles or bodies of the same electric charge or magnetic polarity to separate.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see repulsion on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way