time dilation

noun

The slowing of the passage of time experienced by objects in motion relative to an observer (measurable only at relativistic speeds), or due to being in a gravitational well.

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Meanings

nountime dilation (countable and uncountable, plural time dilations)

plural time dilations · alternative rare time dilatation

  1. countableuncountablerelativityThe slowing of the passage of time experienced by objects in motion relative to an observer (measurable only at relativistic speeds), or due to being in a gravitational well.
  2. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe perceived change in the speed of time experienced due to psychological stress, hormones, or drugs; the rate of time perception, chronoception.

Translations

Catalan dilatació del temps
  • dilatació del tempsslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Danish tidsforlængelse
  • tidsforlængelseslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Finnish aikadilataatio
  • aikadilataatioslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
French dilatation du temps
  • dilatation du tempsslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
German Zeitdilatation
  • Zeitdilatationslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Hindi काल वृद्धि
  • काल वृद्धि (kāl vŕddhi)slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Irish iarmhairt amleata
  • iarmhairt amleataslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Japanese 浦島効果, 時間の遅れ
  • 浦島効果 (Urashima kōka)slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
  • 時間の遅れ (jikan no okure)slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Korean 시간 팽창
  • 시간 팽창slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Polish dylatacja czasu
  • dylatacja czasuslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Spanish dilatación del tiempo
  • dilatación del tiemposlowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Swedish tidsdilatation
  • tidsdilatationslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Ukrainian уповільнення часу
  • уповільнення часу (upovilʹnennja času)slowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Vietnamese thời gian giãn nở
  • thời gian giãn nởslowing of the passage of time at relativistic speeds
Cite this entry
APA

time dilation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/time%20dilation

MLA

“time dilation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/time%20dilation. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “time dilation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/time%20dilation.

Source: time dilation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.