general relativity
noun
relativity2
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general relativity
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General Relativity
General RelativityA geometrical theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in which gravity's effects are a consequence of the curvature of four-dimensional space-time. According to this theory, the energy and momentum of all matter and radiation cause curvature in space-time, in a way similar to the creation of electric and magnetic fields by electric charges and currents. This curvature also opens the possibility that the universe is closed, having finite volume but without any boundary. Among the many experimentally confirmed consequences of General Relativity are the perihelion precession of the planet Mercury, the bending of light in a gravitational field, and the slowing of time in a gravitational field.
general relativity
Americannoun
General Relativity
Scientific
/ jĕn′ər-əl /
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A geometrical theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in which gravity's effects are a consequence of the curvature of four-dimensional space-time. According to this theory, the energy and momentum of all matter and radiation cause curvature in space-time, in a way similar to the creation of electric and magnetic fields by electric charges and currents. This curvature also opens the possibility that the universe is closed, having finite volume but without any boundary. Among the many experimentally confirmed consequences of General Relativity are the perihelion precession of the planet Mercury, the bending of light in a gravitational field, and the slowing of time in a gravitational field.
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See also closed universe equivalence principle Special Relativity
Example Sentences
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These understandings include attempts to reconcile general relativity with quantum theory — a challenge explored both in philosophy and popular science discussions.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
As the two black holes orbit each other, they gradually lose energy through the emission of gravitational waves, a process predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
That discovery created one of the first meaningful links between string theory and general relativity.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
In contrast, general relativity describes time as something that can stretch and bend under the influence of mass and energy.
From Science Daily • May 3, 2026
In the classical theory of general relativity, there are many different possible curved space-times, each corresponding to a different initial state of the universe.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
