pendulum

A body suspended from a fixed support so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity, commonly used to regulate various devices such as clocks.

Noun

  1. A body suspended from a fixed support so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity, commonly used to regulate various devices such as clocks.

    1. (by extension) The tendency of a situation to oscillate (between two extremes).

      • The pendulum can be seen to be swinging in favour of rail, as with each issue of RAIL comes news of further intermodal service expansion. - 2021 October 20, Industry Insider, “The wheels turn slowly”, in RAIL, number...
  2. A lamp, etc. suspended from a ceiling.
  3. A watch's guard-ring by which it is attached to a chain.

Origin

Borrowed from the neuter of Latin pendulus (“hanging”).

Forms

pendulums pendula

Related

pendant simple harmonic motion

Derived

archipendulum ballistic pendulum compensation pendulum compound pendulum double pendulum Foucault pendulum Foucault's pendulum invariable pendulum Kater's pendulum pendulum arbitration pendulum clock pendulumlike pendulum reading pendulum saw pendulum wire play pendulum Schuler pendulum simple pendulum torsion pendulum Wilberforce pendulum