gravity-dispersed
|grav-i-ty-dis-persed|
🇺🇸
/ˈɡrævɪti dɪˈspɜrst/
🇬🇧
/ˈɡrævɪti dɪˈspɜːst/
scattered by gravity
Etymology
'gravity-dispersed' originates from English, combining the noun 'gravity' and the past-participial adjective 'dispersed'. 'gravity' traces back to Latin 'gravitas', where 'gravis' meant 'heavy' or 'weighty'; 'dispersed' comes from Latin 'dispergere' (dis- 'apart' + spargere 'to scatter').
'gravity' changed from Latin 'gravitas' into Old French 'gravité' and then into Middle English as 'gravity'. 'disperse' evolved from Latin 'dispergere' to Late Latin/Old French forms (e.g. 'disperser') and into Middle English 'disperse', with the past participle becoming 'dispersed'. The compound 'gravity-dispersed' is a modern English technical formation combining these elements.
Individually, 'gravity' initially meant 'weight' and 'disperse' meant 'to scatter'; when combined into 'gravity-dispersed' the meaning shifted to describe material or matter 'scattered or spread by gravitational action'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
scattered or spread out as a result of gravitational forces; redistributed downward or outward primarily by gravity rather than by wind, water flow, or active transport.
After the cliff failure, the sediment layer became gravity-dispersed across the valley floor.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/14 19:39