noun
Meaning 1
The act of librating.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
libration
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK, US: /laɪˈbɹeɪ.ʃən/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -eɪʃən
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CMU ARPABET: L AY2 B R EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
The apparent wobble or variation in the visible side of the Moon that permanently faces the Earth, allowing observers on Earth to see, over a period of time, slightly more than half of the lunar surface.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A similar rotational or orbital characteristic of some other celestial body.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
The oscillation of an angle about a stable equilibrium point.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: dynamics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A vibrational degree of freedom whereby a group of atoms partly rotates back and forth, similar to the Moon's motion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A wavering between two opposing thoughts or choices.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
(astronomy) a real or apparent slow oscillation of a moon or satellite
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the libration of the moon
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: variation, oscillation
History
Etymology
From Latin lībrātiō (“a hurling, swinging”), from lībrō (“poise, cause to swing”).
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Afrikaans: librasie — act of libration
- Armenian: ճոճում (čočum) — act of libration
- Armenian: երերում (ererum) — act of libration
- Armenian: տատանում (tatanum) — act of libration
- Finnish: huojunta — act of libration
- German: Ausschwingen — act of libration
- German: Pendeln — act of libration
- Russian: качание (kačanije) — act of libration
- Arabic: مَيَسَان (mayasān) — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Armenian: լիբրացիա (libracʻia) — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Armenian: ճոճք (čočkʻ) — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Finnish: huojunta — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Finnish: libraatio — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- German: Libration — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Icelandic: tunglvik — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Japanese: 秤動 (hyōdō) — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Korean: 칭동 (chingdong) — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Russian: либра́ция (librácija) — astronomy: apparent wobble of the moon
- Arabic: مَيَسَان (mayasān) — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object
- Armenian: լիբրացիա (libracʻia) — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object
- Armenian: ճոճք (čočkʻ) — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object
- Finnish: huojunta — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object
- Finnish: libraatio — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object
- Korean: 칭동 (chingdong) — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object
- Russian: либра́ция (librácija) — astronomy: similar characteristic of another celestial object