gravitation Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun (physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface
    gravitational force; gravity; gravitational attraction.
    • the more remote the body the less the gravity
    • the gravitation between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
    • gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love"--Albert Einstein
  2. noun movement downward resulting from gravitational attraction
    • irrigation by gravitation rather than by pumps
  3. noun a figurative movement toward some attraction
    • the gravitation of the middle class to the suburbs

WordNet

Grav"i*ta"tion noun
Etymology
Cf. F. gravitation. See Gravity.
Definitions
  1. The act of gravitating.
  2. (Pysics) That species of attraction or force by which all bodies or particles of matter in the universe tend toward each other; called also attraction of gravitation, universal gravitation, and universal gravity. See Attraction, and Weight.

Webster 1913