fluctuation
/flʌkt͡ʃuːˈeɪʃən/ noun
Forms fluctuations
- noun A motion like that of waves; a moving in this and that direction; an irregular rising and falling. “the fluctuations of the sea”
- noun A wavering; unsteadiness. “fluctuations of opinion”
- noun In medicine, a wave-like motion or undulation of a fluid in a natural or abnormal cavity (e.g. pus in an abscess), which is felt during palpation or percussion.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin fluctuatiōnem, accusative singular of fluctuatiō, from fluctuō, from fluctus. Morphologically fluctuate + -ion.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A motion like that of waves; a moving in this and that direction; as, the fluctuations of the sea.
- noun A wavering; unsteadiness; as, fluctuations of opinion; fluctuations of prices.
Etymology [L. fluctuatio; cf. F. fluctuation.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “fluctuation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details