nutation
noun/njuːˈteɪʃən/
Frequency rank: #19,941 most common English word
Meaning
a small, periodic nodding or wobbling motion of a rotating body's axis.
Example sentence
The astronomer explained that Earth undergoes nutation as its rotational axis slowly wobbles over time.
Synonyms & related words
- wobble
- oscillation
- nodding
- precession
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