appulse

[uh-puhls]

noun

1. energetic motion toward a point.

2. the act of striking against something.

3. Astronomy.,  the approach or occurrence of conjunction between two celestial bodies.

appulse

/ əˈpʌls /

noun

1. a very close approach of two celestial bodies so that they are in conjunction but no eclipse or occultation occurs

Other Word Forms

• appulsive adjective
• appulsively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of appulse¹

1620–30; < Latin appulsus driven to, landed (past participle of appellere ), equivalent to ap- ap- ¹ + pul- (variant stem of pellere to drive, push) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of appulse¹

C17: from Latin appulsus brought near, from appellere to drive towards, from pellere to drive

Example Sentences

Mars and Uranus will appear extremely close to each other in the night sky – this is known as an appulse.

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A driving or striking against; an appulse.

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In all consonants there is an appulse of the organs.

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The near approach of one heavenly body to another, or to the meridian; a coming into conjunction; as, the appulse of the moon to a star, or of a star to the meridian.

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The appulse or near approach is but one of the methods by which the spiral nebul� may have come into existence.

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Related Words

• brunt 
• shock