undulation

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noun un·du·la·tion \ˌən-jə-ˈlā-shən, ˌən-dyə-, ˌən-də-\

Definition of undulation

1a : a rising and falling in wavesb : a wavelike motion to and fro in a fluid or elastic medium propagated continuously among its particles but with little or no permanent translation of the particles in the direction of the propagation : vibration
2 : the pulsation caused by the vibrating together of two tones not quite in unison
3 : a wavy appearance, outline, or form : waviness

Recent Examples of undulation from the Web

Rahm will need all that skill this week at Erin Hills in Wisconsin -- a 7,741-yard, par 72, monster of a course full of links-like undulations, perilous sand traps and punishingly deep rough.

— matthew knight and patrick snell, CNN, "US Open: The rise of Jon Rahm -- Thriving through 'adversity'", 15 June 2017
The hole slopes pretty severely from right to left and boasts waves of undulations between within the fairway itself.

— luke kerr-dineen, USA TODAY, "The U.S. Open's 18th hole is mouth-watering", 14 June 2017
Five hours may be considered a lightning round as 156 golfers traverse around 7,700 yards of undulations and unpredictability.

— john cherwa, courant.com, "Pace Of Play A Concern At U.S. Open", 14 June 2017
No kipukas out here: just mile upon mile of the black undulations formerly known as magma.

— elyse butler, Smithsonian, "Hawaii’s Must-See Lava Flows Are Home to New, Startling Ecosystems", 2 May 2017
And the laser images, with their precise modeling of any undulations in a roof’s surface, can identify weak spots that wouldn’t be obvious using standard aerial photography.

— hannah furfaro, WSJ, "Aerial Technology Gives Cities New Perspectives on Old Problems", 16 Apr. 2017
The curve of the horizon is caused by undulations in the flat Earth.

— craig a. foster, The Denver Post, "Kyrie Irving’s “flat Earth” comments reveal the danger of science denial", 1 Mar. 2017
A painting of the port in Marly, flooded after the Seine burst its banks, unifies sky, water and a cafe into an allover undulation of pigment.

— jason farago, New York Times, "Alfred Sisley: The Unheralded Impressionist", 2 Feb. 2017
More interesting, though, are the blue bits: areas of low pressure that those undulations create.

— matt simon, WIRED, "The Jellyfish’s Swimming Secret? It’s a Master of Suction", 3 Nov. 2015

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