momentum Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an impelling force or strength
    impulse.
    • the car's momentum carried it off the road
  2. noun the product of a body's mass and its velocity
    • the momentum of the particles was deduced from meteoritic velocities

WordNet

Mo*men"tum noun
Etymology
L. See Moment.
Wordforms
plural L Momenta feminine Momentums
Definitions
  1. (Mech.) The quantity of motion in a moving body, being always proportioned to the quantity of matter multiplied into the velocity; impetus.
  2. Essential element, or constituent element.
    I shall state the several momenta of the distinction in separate propositions. Sir W. Hamilton.
    Fig. a property of an activity, analogous to forward motion or to physical momentum (def. 1), which is believed to be able to continue moving forward without further application of force or effort; as, the petition drive gained momentum when it was mentioned in the newspapers

Webster 1913