precessional

Variant of precession

precession definition

pre·ces·sion (prē ses̸h′ən, pri-)

noun

  1. the act of preceding; precedence
  2. Astron. precession of the equinoxes
  3. Mech. an effect exhibited by a spinning body, as a top, when an applied torque tends to change the direction of its rotational axis, causing this axis generally to describe a cone and to turn at right angles to the direction of the torque

Etymology: ME < LL praecessio < L praecedere, to precede

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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