centripetal
adjUS /sɛnˈtɹɪp.ə.tl̩/ · UK /ˌsɛn.tɹɪˈpiː.tl̩/
Etymology From New Latin centripetālis coined by Sir Isaac Newton, from Latin centrum (“center”) + petō (“to seek, aim”) + -al. Analysable as centri- + -petal.
1
Directed or moving towards a centre.
- It was a centripetal time, with me at the centre, everything gravitating towards me.1988, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions, Faber & Faber Limited (2021), page 141:
2
Anatomy, Medicine, Neuroanatomy, Neurology, Neuroscience, Sciences Of a nerve impulse Directed towards the central nervous system; afferent.
- Antonyms
- centrifugal
- Derived terms
- centripetal acceleration, centripetal force, centripetalism, centripetally, subcentripetal