: a freely swinging pendulum that consists of a heavy weight hung by a long wire and that swings in a constant direction which appears to change showing that the earth rotates
Examples of Foucault pendulum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Inside the building are an Egyptian sundial and a Foucault pendulum.
—
Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 28 Nov. 2024
This is often called a Foucault pendulum (named after Leo Foucault).
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 26 Jan. 2024
The perpetually swinging Foucault pendulum in the lobby hangs still.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 28 Nov. 2024
This is often called a Foucault pendulum (named after Leo Foucault).
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 26 Jan. 2024
The perpetually swinging Foucault pendulum in the lobby hangs still.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near Foucault pendulum
Cite this Entry
“Foucault pendulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Foucault%20pendulum. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Foucault pendulum
noun
Fou·cault pendulum
ˌfü-ˌkō- 
: a device that consists of a heavy weight hung by a long wire and that swings in a constant direction which appears to change showing that the earth rotates
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share