gravitation

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Latin gravis Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -tō Latin -itō Latin gravitō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō New Latin gravitātiōbor. English gravitation Borrowed from New Latin gravitātiō. By surface analysis, gravitate + -ion.

1. The fundamental force of attraction which exists between all matter in the universe that tends to draw bodies towards each other, due to matter causing the curvature of spacetime. It is the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, and possesses a gauge boson known as the graviton.