WordLens

relativity

1 of 1noun
/ˌrɛləˈtɪvəti/
1

the concept that something has meaning or value only in comparison to something else

  • The relativity of happiness became clear, she valued health after illness.
  • Cultural relativity reminds us norms differ across societies.
  • His wealth's relativity was obvious beside billionaires.
  • The relativity of "cold" depends on your acclimation to winter.
  • Art's beauty lies in its relativity to the observer's perspective.
2

a theory that explains the relationship between motion, space, and time

  • Relativity explains why GPS satellites must adjust their clocks for Earth's gravity.
  • The famous equation E=mc² comes from special relativity.
  • General relativity predicts black holes bend spacetime.
  • Time dilation in relativity means astronauts age slightly slower.
  • Mercury's orbit confirmed general relativity's accuracy.