gravity wave

noun

1
: a wave in a fluid (such as the ocean or the atmosphere) which is propagated because of the tendency of gravity to maintain a uniform level or in which gravity is the restoring force
2

Examples of gravity wave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The only way the scientists could make the computer model match the satellite data was by deploying a secondary gravity wave in the simulation. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025 The gravity waves were observed for only about 100 seconds, but these seconds mark the end of a death spiral that was some 11 billion years in the making. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Oct. 2017 So far, however, climate modelers haven't been able to understand the effects of gravity waves that occur at higher altitudes. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2025 Lemmon and some other scientists believe gravity waves may be sufficiently cooling the atmosphere to allow carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to condense enough for thin clouds to form. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gravity wave

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gravity wave was in 1877

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Cite this Entry

“Gravity wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravity%20wave. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

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