Gravity

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈɡɹævɪti/
• Hyphenation: grav + i + ty

Origin

16th century, from Latin gravitās ("weight"), from gravis ("heavy").

Full definition of gravity

Noun

1. Resultant force on Earth's surface, of the attraction by the Earth's masses, and the centrifugal pseudo-force caused by the Earth's rotation.
• 2013-06-07, David Simpson, Fantasy of navigation, It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in the basket a balloon: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; ….
2. Gravitation, universal force exercised by two bodies onto each other
   (In casual discussion, gravity and gravitation are often used interchangeably).
• 2012-01, Michael Riordan, Tackling Infinity, Some of the most beautiful and thus appealing physical theories, including quantum electrodynamics and quantum gravity, have been dogged for decades by infinities that erupt when theorists try to prod their calculations into new domains. Getting rid of these nagging infinities has probably occupied far more effort than was spent in originating the theories.
3. The state or condition of having weight; weight; heaviness.
4. Specific gravity.
5. The state or condition of being grave (graveness).