kinetic

adjective

ki·net·ic | \kə-ˈne-tik also kī-

Definition of kinetic

1 : of or relating to the motion of material bodies and the forces and energy associated therewith

2a : active, lively

b : dynamic, energizing a kinetic performer

3 : of or relating to kinetic art

Other Words from kinetic Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about kinetic

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Did You Know?

Kinetic comes from the Greek word kinētikos, meaning "of motion, which in turn traces to the verb kinein, meaning "to move." Compared to some other English words that have their roots in Greek, "kinetic" is a relatively young English word; the earliest evidence we have of its use is from 1864. Although it deals with the motion of images rather than material bodies, the word cinema can also be traced back to "kinein." The verb "kinein" is the source of the Greek kinēma, meaning "movement, to which the French referred in the coining of their "cinématographe." "Cinématographe" is the word that gave rise to the English word cinematograph, of which "cinema" is simply a shortened form.

Examples of kinetic in a Sentence

the novel's plot is kinetic and fast-paced, and its effect on the reader is much like that of a surfeit of caffeine the loft district is the locus of the city's kinetic arts scene

Recent Examples on the Web

While there are a lot of weapons to collect (and buy, as physical toys), these weapons are limited to one of five types—kinetic, ice, fire, gravity, and stasis. — Daniel Starkey, Ars Technica, "Starlink: Battle for Atlas review: Cool toys, solid spacefaring," 16 Oct. 2018 Deadpool 2’s David Leitch, on the other hand, has already developed his own kinetic style of action directing, in movies like Atomic Blonde and John Wick. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Deadpool 2 proves the first movie was no fluke," 15 May 2018 Her music is chirpy and kinetic, but weird chords and nervous bits rustling in the orchestra suggest that Josephine fears that his plan to enlist is dangerous. — New York Times, "A Soldier’s Racially Charged Suicide Becomes a Powerful Opera," 13 June 2018 Plenty of bands try to outgrow pop-punk; few manage to replace its kinetic catharsis. — Chris Payne, Billboard, "5 Seconds of Summer Want You Back: 'Our Purpose Is Very Different Than Other Bands'," 23 June 2018 Driving the Envision reveals no kinetic shortcomings. — Al Haas, Philly.com, "Refreshed for 2019, Buick Envision is roomy, comfortable, and quiet," 12 July 2018 Epp makes the Once-ler a funny and even likable figure, with a kinetic Martin Short vibe and a disarmingly wheedling way about him. — James Hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "At Old Globe, 'The Lorax' brings Dr. Seuss' environmental saga to vivid life," 8 July 2018 Directed energy weapons reach targets at the speed of light, and have much larger magazines, cost less per shot, and track targets with precision far beyond traditional kinetic weapons. — Henry Obering Iii, Fortune, "I Used to Direct the Missile Defense Agency. America Needs New Weapons," 5 July 2018 For all those who watch him, this moment represents a very specific kind of kinetic question mark. — Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, "The Annoying Genius Who Makes the World Cup Worth Watching," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kinetic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.