Phrase guide

time dilation

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The slowing of the passage of time experienced by objects in motion relative to an observer (measurable only at relativistic speeds), or due to being in a gravitational well.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: relativity

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The perceived change in the speed of time experienced due to psychological stress, hormones, or drugs; the rate of time perception, chronoception.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: dilatació del temps — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Danish: tidsforlængelse — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Finnish: aikadilataatio — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • French: dilatation du temps — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • German: Zeitdilatation — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Hindi: काल वृद्धि (kāl vŕddhi) — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Irish: iarmhairt amleata — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Japanese: 浦島効果 (Urashima kōka) — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Japanese: 時間の遅れ (jikan no okure) — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Korean: 시간 팽창 — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Polish: dylatacja czasu — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Spanish: dilatación del tiempo — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Swedish: tidsdilatation — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Ukrainian: уповільнення часу (upovilʹnennja času) — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • Vietnamese: thời gian giãn nở — slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds