Relativity
/ˌrɛl.əˈtɪv.ə.ti/noun
The quality or state of being relative; in physics, the theory that measurements of space and time depend on the observer's frame of reference.
Did you know?The word comes from the same Latin root as “relate” and “relative,” and its scientific fame exploded after Einstein turned a philosophical idea about comparison into a cosmic law of space-time.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
relativus
“having reference or relation to something else”
Middle French
Old French
relatif
“having relation to; dependent on context”
Late Middle English
English
relativite
“the state of being relative or comparative”
19th Century
English
relativity
“the quality of being relative; dependence on relation or comparison”
Early 20th Century
English
relativity
“Einstein’s physical theory of space, time, and motion”
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