precession

[ pree-sesh-uh n ]
/ priˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

the act or fact of preceding; precedence.
Mechanics. the motion of the rotation axis of a rigid body, as a spinning top, when a disturbing torque is applied while the body is rotating such that the rotation axis describes a cone, with the vertical through the vertex of the body as axis of the cone, and the motion of the rotating body is perpendicular to the direction of the torque.
Astronomy.
  1. the slow, conical motion of the earth's axis of rotation, caused by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon, and, to a smaller extent, of the planets, on the equatorial bulge of the earth.
  2. precession of the equinoxes.

Origin of precession

1300–50; < Late Latin praecessiōn- (stem of praecessiō) a going before, advance, equivalent to Latin praecess(us) (past participle of praecēdere to precede) + -iōn- -ion; see cession

OTHER WORDS FROM precession

pre·ces·sion·al, adjective

Words nearby precession

preceptorship, preceptory, preceptress, preceramic, precess, precession, precession of the equinoxes, precinct, precincts, preciosity, precious

Example sentences from the Web for precessional

British Dictionary definitions for precessional

precession
/ (prɪˈsɛʃən) /

noun

the act of preceding
See precession of the equinoxes
the motion of a spinning body, such as a top, gyroscope, or planet, in which it wobbles so that the axis of rotation sweeps out a cone

Derived forms of precession

precessional, adjective precessionally, adverb

Word Origin for precession

C16: from Late Latin praecessiō a going in advance, from Latin praecēdere to precede

Scientific definitions for precessional

precession
[ prē-sĕsh′ən ]

The rotational motion of the axis of a spinning body, such as the wobbling of a spinning top, caused by torque applied to the body along its axis of rotation.
The motion of this kind made by the Earth's axis, caused mainly by the gravitational pull of the Sun, Moon, and other planets. The precession of Earth's axis has a period of nearly 25,800 years, during which time the reference points on the equatorial coordinate system (the celestial poles and celestial equator) will gradually shift their positions on the celestial sphere.♦ The precession of the equinoxes is the slow westward shift of the autumnal and vernal equinoxes along the ecliptic, resulting from precession of the Earth's axis. See also nutation.