centripetal

C3E1N1T1R1I1P3E1T1A1L1
US/sɛnˈtɹɪp.ə.tl̩/UK/ˌsɛn.tɹɪˈpiː.tl̩/

adjective

Directed or moving towards a centre.

Similar
inward-developinginward-movingunifyingcentralizingcentralisingreceptivesensoryafferent
Opposite
centrifugal
OriginNew Latin centripetālis ← Latin centrum →
UncommonScrabble 15
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Word of the Day · Oct 23, 2024

Meanings

adjectivecentripetal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableDirected or moving towards a centre.

    It was a centripetal time, with me at the centre, everything gravitating towards me.

    1988, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions, Faber & Faber Limited (2021), page 141
  2. not comparableanatomyDirected towards the central nervous system; afferent.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
centrifugal

adjectivetending to move toward a center

Similar
inward-developinginward-moving
Opposite
centrifugal

adjectivetending to unify

Similar
unifyingcentralizingcentralising

adjectiveof a nerve fiber or impulse originating outside and passing toward the central nervous system

Similar
receptivesensoryafferent
Also see
afferentaxipetalreceptivesensoryunifying

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincentrum“center”
  2. New Latincentripetālis
  3. Englishcentripetal

From New Latin centripetālis coined by Sir Isaac Newton, from Latin centrum (“center”) + petō (“to seek, aim”) + -al. Analysable as centri- + -petal.

More words from New Latin, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian центростремителен
  • центростремителен (centrostremitelen)directed or moving towards a centre
Catalan centrípet, centrípet
  • centrípetdirected or moving towards a centre
  • centrípetdirected towards the central nervous system
Czech dostředivý
  • dostředivýdirected or moving towards a centre
Dutch middelpuntzoekend
  • middelpuntzoekenddirected or moving towards a centre
Finnish sentripetaalinen, keskihakuinen
  • sentripetaalinendirected or moving towards a centre
  • keskihakuinendirected or moving towards a centre
  • keskihakuinendirected towards the central nervous system
French centripète
  • centripètedirected or moving towards a centre
German zentripetal
  • zentripetaldirected or moving towards a centre
Greek κεντρομόλος
  • κεντρομόλος (kentromólos)directed or moving towards a centre
Irish láraimsitheach
  • láraimsitheachdirected or moving towards a centre
Italian centripeto
  • centripetodirected or moving towards a centre
Lithuanian įcentrinis
  • įcentrinisdirected or moving towards a centre
Polish dośrodkowy
  • dośrodkowydirected or moving towards a centre
Russian центростреми́тельный
  • центростреми́тельный (centrostremítelʹnyj)directed or moving towards a centre
Spanish centrípeto, centrípeto
  • centrípetodirected or moving towards a centre
  • centrípetodirected towards the central nervous system
Welsh canolgyrchol
  • canolgyrcholdirected or moving towards a centre
Cite this entry
APA

centripetal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/centripetal

MLA

“centripetal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/centripetal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “centripetal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/centripetal.

Source: centripetal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.