gimbal

1 of 2

noun

gim·​bal ˈgim-bəl How to pronounce gimbal (audio) ˈjim- How to pronounce gimbal (audio)
: a device that permits a body to incline freely in any direction or suspends it so that it will remain level when its support is tipped
usually used in plural

called also gimbal ring

gimbal

2 of 2

verb

gimballed or gimbaled; gimballing or gimbaling

transitive verb

: to provide with or support on gimbals

Did you know?

One place you might encounter gimbals is on a ship, where they are used to keep compasses and other things level with the horizon in contrast to the pitch and roll of the vessel at sea. The word gimbal is an alteration of "gemel," a word for a type of finger-ring popular in the 16th century that could be divided into two separate rings. The word comes from Anglo-French gemel ("twin"), which in turn comes from Latin gemellus, a diminutive of "geminus," the Latin word for "twin."

Examples of gimbal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The team revealed it was created with substantial use of a gimbal. Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2024 The Link features a 0.5-inch Sony sensor mounted on a gimbal that can follow you around the room. Brandon Widder, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2024 Multiple new ports have been added behind a removable panel along the side of the camera, allowing for enhanced connection possibilities with gimbals or tethering, and wireless charging is now possible with Leica’s Charging Pad—all good news for the advanced user. Robb Rice, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2023 Initially, the gimbal was adjusted manually by the pilot so that the beacons were oriented toward the mount. IEEE Spectrum, 1 Dec. 2022 Since the April test flight, SpaceX has replaced a hydraulic thrust-vector control mechanism with engine gimbals driven by electric actuators. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2023 Each drone will be operated by two people, one to pilot the device and another who will operate the gimbal on the drone, looking for the best shot and angle. Chris Morris, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2023 The all-new Tourbillon Cardan is a swiveling tourbillon with a flying appearance suspended by two arched cardan rings or gimbals. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2023 In particular, the team plan to mount environmental sensing units—including cameras and ultrasonic sensors—to a gimbal on the robot’s back. IEEE Spectrum, 17 Aug. 2023
Verb
Much of what has made DJI gimbals great remains in the Osmo Mobile 3, but the company made this device more compact and more affordable at $119. Valentina Palladino and Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 20 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gimbal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of obsolete gemel double ring, from Middle English, from Anglo-French gemel, jomel, from Latin gemellus, diminutive of geminus

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1780, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gimbal was circa 1780

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Cite this Entry

“Gimbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gimbal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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