gravitational

American  

[grav-i-tey-shuh-nl] / ˌgræv ɪˈteɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

1. Physics. of or relating to the force of attraction between two masses.

   The gravitational effect of the moon causes the rise and fall of ocean tides.

2. of or relating to a strong movement or natural tendency toward something or someone.

   Their gravitational attraction to self-destructive behavior has been the subject of much study.

---

Other Word Forms

• antigravitational adjective
• gravitationally adverb

Etymology

Origin of gravitational

First recorded in 1850–55; gravitation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

The structure and motion of these features point to possible gravitational effects from one or more unseen companion stars, which remain concealed within the dense disk of dust.

From Science Daily

Another possibility is gravitational instability, where a swirling cloud of gas around a young star collapses quickly under its own gravity, forming a large object more like a brown dwarf.

From Science Daily

Instead, the galaxy's core could be dominated by an enormous concentration of dark matter that produces the same powerful gravitational effects.

From Science Daily

Instead, it reflects dark matter's gravitational pull drawing normal matter toward it throughout the history of the Universe.

From Science Daily

It is the clearest gravitational wave signal ever recorded from a pair of merging black holes, giving researchers an unusually sharp tool for testing Albert Einstein's theory of gravity, called general relativity.

From Science Daily