Meanings
plural Brownian motions
- countableuncountablestatistical mechanicsRandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid, arising from those particles being struck by individual molecules of the fluid.
To summarize, the world is filled with instances of indeterministic Brownian motion, with various biological phenomena having evolved to optimally exploit versions of this randomness. Are we talking free will here?
2023, Robert M. Sapolsky, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will, New York: Penguin, →ISBNSynonyms: Brownian movement
- countableidiomaticuncountableA state of chaos or disarray.
The sun was hot on my legs. I moved out of the doorway and stood in the room with my thoughts in Brownian motion.
2003, Robert Wilson, Instruments of Darkness, Harvest Books, →ISBN, page 2551 more example
That's pretty much what I'm doing here today—asking you, right now, to sit down, take a deep breath, and stop. Try to see a future beyond that Brownian motion of your daily affairs.
2007 November, Gil Schwartz, “Escape from the job monster”, in Men's Health, volume 22, number 9, →ISSN, page 122
Synonyms & antonyms
nounRandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid, arising from those particles being struck by individual molecules of the fluid.
nounSynonym of Wiener process.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe random motion of small particles suspended in a gas or liquid
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Named after Scottish botanist Robert Brown (1773–1858), who investigated the movement of pollen suspended in water.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic حَرَكَة بَرَاوْنِيَّة
- حَرَكَة بَرَاوْنِيَّة (ḥaraka barawniyya)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Bulgarian Брауново движение
- Брауново движение (Braunovo dviženie)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Chinese Mandarin 布朗運動 /布朗运动
- 布朗運動 /布朗运动 (Bùlǎng yùndòng)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Czech Brownův pohyb
- Brownův pohybrandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Danish brownsk bevægelse
- brownsk bevægelserandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Finnish Brownin liike
- Brownin liikerandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
French mouvement brownien
- mouvement brownienrandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
German brownsche Bewegung
- brownsche Bewegungrandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Hindi ब्राउनी गति
- ब्राउनी गति (brāunī gati)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Italian moto browniano
- moto brownianorandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Japanese ブラウン運動
- ブラウン運動 (Buraun undō)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Korean 브라운 운동
- 브라운 운동 (Beuraun undong)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Portuguese movimento browniano
- movimento brownianorandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Russian бро́уновское движе́ние
- бро́уновское движе́ние (bróunovskoje dvižénije)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Spanish movimiento browniano
- movimiento brownianorandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Swedish brownsk rörelse
- brownsk rörelserandom motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Ukrainian бро́унівський рух
- бро́унівський рух (bróunivsʹkyj rux)random motion of particles suspended in a fluid
Cite this entry
Brownian motion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brownian%20motion
“Brownian motion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brownian%20motion. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Brownian motion,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brownian%20motion.
Source: Brownian motion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.