gravity

noun

grav·​i·​ty ˈgra-və-tē How to pronounce gravity (audio)
plural gravities
often attributive
1
a
: dignity or sobriety of bearing
a person of gravity and learning
b
: importance, significance
especially : seriousness
the gravity of the offense
c
: a serious situation or problem
2
: weight
3
a(1)
: the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface
(2)
: a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions which occur because of mass between particles, between aggregations of matter (such as stars and planets), and between particles (such as photons) and aggregations of matter, that is 10-39 times the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over macroscopic distances especially between aggregations of matter

called also gravitation, gravitational force

compare electromagnetism sense 2a, strong force, weak force

Examples of gravity in a Sentence

the hospital waiting room was filled with the kind of gravity that inevitably accompanies worry
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sense of buoyancy in markets, then, could be a head rush — evoked by the U.S.-China trade deal over the weekend — that could dissipate once the gravity of the economic headwinds takes over again. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 16 May 2025 Cannes veteran Suzu Hirose (Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Our Little Sister) plays young Etsuko with a luminous fragility, while Yoh Yoshida (Desperate Sunflowers) portrays the older version of the character with enigmatic gravity. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025 The gravity of what’s riding on this series for a franchise now 58 years removed from its last Stanley Cup is undeniable. Chris Johnston, New York Times, 15 May 2025 During these close encounters, the clashing gravity of the black holes causes each to accelerate past the other, generating a significant gravitational-wave signal, but the objects are sufficiently separated to avoid merging. Ramin Skibba, Scientific American, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for gravity

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French gravité "heaviness, weight, dignity, seriousness," borrowed from Latin gravitāt-, gravitās "heaviness, weight, oppressiveness, severity, dignity, seriousness," from gravis "heavy, weighty, oppressive, serious" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at grave entry 2

First Known Use

1505, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gravity was in 1505

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gravity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravity. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

gravity

noun
grav·​i·​ty ˈgrav-ət-ē How to pronounce gravity (audio)
plural gravities
1
a
: the quality or state of being dignified and proper
b
: the quality or state of being important or serious
2
: weight
3
a
: the gravitational attraction of the mass of a heavenly body (as the earth) for bodies at or near its surface
b
: a force of attraction between particles or bodies that occurs because of their mass, is stronger as mass is increased, and is weaker as the distance between the objects is increased
Etymology

from early French gravité or Latin gravitas, both meaning "the quality or state of being serious or dignified, the quality of being weighty," from Latin gravis "heavy, serious" — related to aggravate, grave entry 3, grieve

Medical Definition

gravity

noun
grav·​i·​ty ˈgrav-ət-ē How to pronounce gravity (audio)
plural gravities
1
: weight sense 1
used chiefly in the phrase center of gravity
2
a
: the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface
broadly : gravitation
gravity adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on gravity

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