Standard Lemma guide

tribology

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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  • /tɹaɪˈbɒləd͡ʒi/
  • /tɹɪˈbɒləd͡ʒi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion; the study and application of technology using the principles of friction, lubrication and wear.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the branch of engineering that deals with the interaction of surfaces in relative motion (as in bearings or gears): their design and friction and wear and lubrication

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mechanical engineering

History

Etymology

From tribo- + -logy.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: շփագիտություն (špʻagitutʻyun) — science and technology of lubrication
  • Armenian: տրիբոլոգիա (tribologia) — science and technology of lubrication
  • Belarusian: трыбалогія (trybalóhija) — science and technology of lubrication
  • Bulgarian: трибология (tribologija) — science and technology of lubrication
  • Danish: tribologi — science and technology of lubrication
  • Estonian: triboloogia — science and technology of lubrication
  • Finnish: tribologia — science and technology of lubrication
  • Finnish: voiteluoppi — science and technology of lubrication
  • French: tribologie — science and technology of lubrication
  • German: Tribologie — science and technology of lubrication
  • Greek: τριβολογία (trivología) — science and technology of lubrication
  • Italian: tribologia — science and technology of lubrication
  • Norwegian Bokmål: tribologi — science and technology of lubrication
  • Polish: tribologia — science and technology of lubrication
  • Portuguese: tribologia — science and technology of lubrication
  • Romanian: tribologie — science and technology of lubrication
  • Russian: триболо́гия (tribológija) — science and technology of lubrication
  • Spanish: tribología — science and technology of lubrication
  • Swedish: tribologi — science and technology of lubrication
  • Ukrainian: трибологія (trybolohija) — science and technology of lubrication