perturb

English

Etymology

From Middle English perturben, from Old French perturber, from Latin perturbare (“throw into confusion, confuse, disorder, disturb”), from per (“through”) + turbare (“to confuse, disturb”).

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /pɚˈtɝb/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(r)b

Verb

perturb (third-person singular simple present perturbs, present participle perturbing, simple past and past participle perturbed)

  1. To disturb; to bother or unsettle.
  2. (physics) To slightly modify the motion of an object.
  3. (astronomy) To modify the motion of a body by exerting a gravitational force.
  4. (mathematics) To modify slightly, such as an equation or value.

Derived terms

Translations

(astronomy) To modify the motion of a body by exerting a gravitational force

Further reading

  • perturb in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • perturb in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
  • perturb at OneLook Dictionary Search
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