tangential motion

[ tan-jen-shuhl moh-shuhn ]

noun

, Astronomy.

1. the component of the linear motion of a star with respect to the sun, measured along a line perpendicular to its line of sight and expressed in miles or kilometers per second.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tangential motion¹

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

This experiment shows that no cyclone can form without some tangential motion in the air entering the area of low-pressure.

From Project Gutenberg