Gravitational
ˌɡrævɪˈteɪʃənəl
Definitions
Relating to, or caused by, the force of gravity.
ˌɡrævɪˈteɪʃənəl
Relating to or caused by gravity.
The gravitational pull of the moon causes the tides.
💡 Simply: Imagine you drop a ball, and it falls down. That's gravity. Gravitational things have to do with how gravity works, like the force that pulls everything down.
👶 For kids: When something falls down because of the Earth, that's gravity. Something that's gravitational is all about gravity!
More Examples
Einstein's theory of general relativity explains gravitational effects.
Satellites rely on gravitational forces to stay in orbit.
How It's Used
"The gravitational force keeps planets in orbit around the sun."
"Scientists study gravitational waves to learn about black holes."
From Late Latin *gravitatio* (a weighing down, the action of gravity), from *gravitas* (heaviness, weight), from *gravis* (heavy). The adjective was formed to describe effects related to gravity.
The term has been used since the late 17th century, coinciding with the development of Newton's laws of gravitation.
Memory tip
Think of a ball falling to the ground—that's gravity's effect! Gravitational describes things related to this force.