nutation

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

First attested in 1610s. Derived from Latin nutatio, from nūtō (“I nod”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

nutation (plural nutations)

1. (physics) a bobbing motion that accompanies the precession of a spinning rigid body
2. a nodding motion (of the head etc.)
3. (astronomy) any of several irregularities in the precession of the equinoxes caused by varying torque applied to the Earth by the Sun and the Moon
4. (botany) the circular motion of the tip of a growing shoot

Related terms

• circumnutation
• counternutation
• nutate

Translations

physics term

• German: Nutation (de) f
• Greek: κλόνηση (el) (klónisi) f
• Irish: nútaíocht (ga) f, nútú (ga) m

• Russian: нутация (ru) (nutácija) f
• Spanish: nutación (es) f

head nodding

• Russian: кивание (ru) (kivánije) n

astronomical term

• French: nutation (fr) f
• German: Nutation (de) f
• Greek: κλόνηση (el) (klónisi) f

• Irish: nútaíocht (ga) f, nútú (ga) m
• Japanese: 章動 (ja) (しょうどう, shōdō)
• Spanish: nutación (es) f