Barycenter
/ˈbɛr.iˌsɛn.tər/noun
The center of mass of two or more bodies around which they orbit or balance.
Did you know?Astronomers use a barycenter to describe systems like the Earth-Moon pair, where the shared center of mass can sit outside the larger body itself.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
βαρύς (barýs)
“heavy, weighty”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κέντρον (kéntron)
“sharp point, goad; later center point”
19th Century
English
barycenter
“a center of mass or balance in a system of bodies”
20th Century
English
barycenter
“especially the center of mass around which astronomical bodies orbit”