Reptation
/rɛpˈteɪʃən/noun
The act or process of crawling or creeping; in polymer science, the snake-like movement of a long molecule through a tangled network.
Did you know?The scientific theory of reptation was introduced in 1971 to explain how long-chain polymers move through molecular entanglements.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*rep-
“To creep or crawl”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἕρπειν (hérpein)
“To crawl or creep”
Classical Latin
Latin
repere
“To crawl, creep, or move close to the ground”
Classical Latin
Latin
reptare
“To crawl repeatedly or creep about; the frequentative form of repere”
17th Century
French
reptation
“Crawling or creeping movement”
19th Century
English
reptation
“The act of crawling or creeping”
20th Century
English
reptation
“Snake-like movement of polymer chains through entanglements”
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