general theory of relativity

American  

noun

Physics.

1. relativity2

---

general theory of relativity British  

noun

1. the theory of gravitation, developed by Einstein in 1916, extending the special theory of relativity to include acceleration and leading to the conclusion that gravitational forces are equivalent to forces caused by acceleration

---

Etymology

Origin of general theory of relativity

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

For over a century, Einstein's general theory of relativity has been the foundation of our understanding of space and time.

From Science Daily • Nov. 8, 2025

Here, the theory goes, all physical laws, including Einstein's general theory of relativity, no longer apply; the principle of causality is suspended.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2024

As the universe expanded, gravity, as described by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, amplified those variations to create the huge variations we see today in the form of clusters and superclusters of galaxies.

From Scientific American • Oct. 30, 2023

In 1919, an expedition to watch a total solar eclipse from an island off the west coast of Africa, helped confirm Einstein's general theory of relativity.

From National Geographic • Oct. 2, 2023

In fact, the equivalence between gravitational forces and the forces we would feel in an accelerating spaceship is a major feature of Einstein’s later general theory of relativity.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• relativity