Brownian movement
[ brou-nee-uh n ]
/ ˈbraʊ ni ən /
noun Physics.
the irregular motion of small particles suspended in a liquid or a gas, caused by the bombardment of the particles by molecules of the medium: first observed by Robert Brown in 1827.
QUIZZES
CAN YOU ACE THIS QUIZ ABOUT “COMPLIMENT” VS. “COMPLEMENT”?
Take this quiz to see if you really know the difference between “compliment” and “complement"!
Question 1 of 11
“Compliment” and “complement” had a shared meaning a long time ago, but today they are no longer interchangeable.
Also called Brownian motion.
Origin of Brownian movement
1870–75; Brown + -ian
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for brownian motion
Brownian movement
/ (ˈbraʊnɪən) /
noun
random movement of microscopic particles suspended in a fluid, caused by bombardment of the particles by molecules of the fluid. First observed in 1827, it provided strong evidence in support of the kinetic theory of molecules
Word Origin for Brownian movement
C19: named after Robert Brown
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for brownian motion
Brownian movement
[ brŏu′nē-ən ]
n.
The random movement of microscopic particles suspended in a liquid or gas, caused by collisions with molecules of the surrounding medium.Brownian motion molecular movement pedesis
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for brownian motion
Brownian motion
[ brou′nē-ən ]
The random movement of microscopic particles suspended in a liquid or gas, caused by collisions between these particles and the molecules of the liquid or gas. This movement is named for its identifier, Scottish botanist Robert Brown (1773-1858). See also kinetic theory.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for brownian motion
Brownian motion
The erratic motion, visible through a microscope, of small grains suspended in a fluid. The motion results from collisions between the grains and atoms or molecules in the fluid.
notes for Brownian motion
Brownian motion was first explained by the twentieth-century physicist Albert Einstein, who considered it direct proof of the existence of atoms.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.