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two-body problem

American

[too-bod-ee] / ˈtuˈbɒd i /

noun

Astronomy, Mechanics.

the problem of calculating the motions of two bodies in space moving solely under the influence of their mutual gravitational attraction.

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.

But remember: Whether you actually infect someone is a two-body problem.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2022

We’re like the city mouse and the country mouse—a variant of the two-body problem.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2018

Also: astrophysicist Katie Mack explores the two-body problem in academia.

From Scientific American • Nov. 24, 2013

Among other things, she notes that the two-body problem is only a problem for people who have partners who don’t stay home; whether intentionally or not, it rewards the single-earner family.

From Slate • Oct. 3, 2013

The core of the two-body problem isn’t the second body; it’s the missing job.

From Slate • Oct. 3, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023