Word
relativity
Phoneticsrel·a·tiv·i·ty
US/ˌɹɛɫəˈtɪvəti/
UK/ɹɪlɐtˈɪvɪti/
Definition
n. the idea that how you see things like time and space depends on where you are and how fast you are moving. It also means that things only have value or meaning when you compare them to something else.
n. the state of being dependent on a specific frame of reference or relationship. In physics, it refers to the theories of Albert Einstein regarding the interdependence of space, time, and motion.
Examples
“The theory of relativity changed how we understand the universe.”
“In economics, the relativity of price means that a ten-dollar discount feels more significant on a small purchase than on a luxury car.”
“Einstein's general relativity posits that gravity is not a force between masses but a curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of energy and mass.”
Examples
simple
“The theory of relativity changed how we understand the universe.”
contextual
“In economics, the relativity of price means that a ten-dollar discount feels more significant on a small purchase than on a luxury car.”
complex
“Einstein's general relativity posits that gravity is not a force between masses but a curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of energy and mass.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' to specify the relationship being described.
Real-World Examples
Common in science writing
“In 1917, shortly after developing his general theory of relativity, he began applying his new equations to cosmology.” “Their observations found that the sun’s gravity deflected light from distant stars, just as Einstein’s theory of general relativity had predicted four years earlier.” Etymology
From relative (“connected to or depending on something else”) + -ity (suffix forming nouns from adjectives where the nouns refer to the properties, qualities, or states described by the adjectives). Sense 2.1 (“reliance of the nature of physical phenomena on the relative motion between an observer and the thing observed”) is a translation of German Relativität (“relativity”) used in the works of the German-American theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955). Morphologically relative + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/relativity