kinetic
1 Americanadjective
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pertaining to motion.
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caused by motion.
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characterized by movement.
Running and dancing are kinetic activities.
adjective
Usage
What does -kinetic mean? The combining form -kinetic is used like a suffix meaning “of or relating to movement.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology.The form -kinetic comes from Greek kīnēt(ós), meaning “moving,” from the verb kīneîn, “to move.” The Latin cognate of kīneîn is ciēre (stem cit-), meaning “to move, set in motion,” which is the source of words such as cite and resuscitate. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.What are variants of -kinetic?While there are not any variants of -kinetic, it is related to the forms -kinesis and -kinesia, as in telekinesis and hyperkinesia. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles about these two forms.
Other Word Forms
- kinetically adverb
- nonkinetic adjective
Etymology
Origin of kinetic1
1850–55; < Greek kīnētikós moving, equivalent to kīnē- (verbid stem of kīneîn to move) + -tikos -tic
Origin of -kinetic2
Compare meaning
How does kinetic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These include involvement in autonomous kinetic operations in which AI tools make final military targeting decisions without human intervention.
From BBC
William Carlos Angulo’s choreography is unfailingly kinetic, but participating in a party is more energizing than watching one at a remove.
From Los Angeles Times
“It doesn’t just stop a blade. It spreads the kinetic energy across the fabric. The yards can work almost like a conveyor belt, preventing energy from concentrating at a single point.”
From Los Angeles Times
Rowdy and kinetic from start to finish, “Goat” does in fact reflect the fast-paced dynamism of basketball, but it soon reveals itself a sugar rush without much substance.
From Los Angeles Times
Border controls, tariffs and kinetic raids can only do so much.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
