Meanings
- uncountablenatural sciencesThe branch of physics that uses statistical laws to make theoretical predictions about macroscopic systems of particles.
Synonyms: statistical thermodynamics
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe branch of physics that uses statistical laws to make theoretical predictions about macroscopic systems of particles.
Origin
Coined by American scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs in 1884, with a presentation to the American Association for the Advancement of Science titled "On the Fundamental Formula of Statistical Mechanics, with Applications to Astronomy and Thermodynamics". He attributed the choice of the word "statistical" to James Clerk Maxwell.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish tilastollinen mekaniikka
- tilastollinen mekaniikkabranch of physics
Japanese 統計力学
- 統計力学 (tōkeirikigaku)branch of physics
Polish mechanika statystyczna
- mechanika statystycznabranch of physics
Romanian mecanică statistică
- mecanică statisticăbranch of physics
Cite this entry
statistical mechanics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/statistical%20mechanics
“statistical mechanics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/statistical%20mechanics. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “statistical mechanics,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/statistical%20mechanics.
Source: statistical mechanics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.