Meanings
- natural sciencesA variational principle that, when applied to the action of a mechanical system, yields the equations of motion for that system. It states that the trajectories (i.e. the solutions of the equations of motion) are stationary points of the system's action functional.
Synonyms: stationary action principle
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA variational principle that, when applied to the action of a mechanical system, yields the equations of motion for that system. It states that the trajectories (i.e. the solutions of the equations of motion) are stationary points of the system's action functional.
Translations
Finnish pienimmän vaikutuksen periaate
- pienimmän vaikutuksen periaateTranslations
Japanese 最小作用の原理
- 最小作用の原理 (saishō sayō no genri)Translations
Polish zasada najmniejszego działania
- zasada najmniejszego działaniaTranslations
Cite this entry
principle of least action. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20action
“principle of least action.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20action. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “principle of least action,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20action.
Source: principle of least action on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.