perturbation

Etymology

From Middle French, from Old French perturbacion, from Latin perturbatio

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

perturbation (countable and uncountable, plural perturbations)

1. (uncountable) Agitation; the state of being perturbed
   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume I, chapter 5:

     But her mind had never been in such perturbation; and it needed a very strong effort to appear attentive and cheerful till the usual hour of separating allowed her the relief of quiet reflection.

2. (countable) A small change in a physical system, or more broadly any definable system (such as a biological or economic system)
3. (countable, astronomy, physics) Variation in an orbit due to the influence of external bodies
   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume I, chapter 5:

     Emma is spoiled by being the cleverest of her family. At ten years old, she had the misfortune of being able to answer questions which puzzled her sister at seventeen. She was always quick and assured: Isabella slow and diffident.

Etymology

From Latin perturbatio.

Noun

perturbation f (plural perturbations)

1. disturbance
2. derangement

Further reading

• “perturbation” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).