Phrase guide

Unruh effect

noun · 1 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

A theoretical prediction in quantum field theory that an observer who is uniformly accelerating through empty space will perceive a thermal bath.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Named after W. G. Unruh who described the effect in 1976.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: Unruh-ilmiö — Translations
  • German: Unruh-Effekt — Translations
  • Polish: efekt Unruha — Translations
  • Spanish: efecto Unruh — Translations