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

Photo: Ben Curtis/Associated Press Diplomats said the outcome and conduct of the poll could have a kinetic effect across the continent—for good or ill. — Joe Parkinson, WSJ, "Nigeria’s Election Gets Under Way After a Stop-Start Runup," 23 Feb. 2019 But kinetic operations are only a small part of military deterrence. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Space War: How the Air Force Plans to Defend the Final Frontier," 6 Nov. 2017 Set between two desk lamps (which have a kinetic life of their own, thanks to the Pixar Animation Studios opening sequence starring Luxo), the researchers show how quickly the plant responds by switching them on and off again. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "The Leafy Green Cyborgs Are Coming," 6 Dec. 2018 At this point Santat’s staid, prosaic images explode into garish, kinetic life as the two create a comic-book epic featuring a ferocious dragon and two embattled heroes modeled on themselves. — John Lithgow, New York Times, "Grandmas and Grandpas Are a Kid’s Natural Allies in These Books," 22 June 2018 The film pulls both from traditional 3D computer animation and comic book aesthetics, mashing them up into a dazzling, kinetic style. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is dazzling, hilarious, and unique," 14 Dec. 2018 Trophy uses a ring of radars to detect incoming anti-tank weapons, tracking and then shooting them down with shotgun-like kinetic weapon system. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Israel's 'Namer' Infrantry Vehicle Could Be a Glimpse of the U.S. Army's Future," 13 Dec. 2018 America’s advantage in artificial intelligence could enhance its edge in both cyber and kinetic warfare in coming years. — Seth Cropsey, WSJ, "How to Win a Cold War With Beijing," 25 Oct. 2018 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

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.