momentum

/ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: momentums · momenta

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Of a body in motion: the tendency of a body to maintain its inertial motion; the product of its mass and velocity, or the vector sum of the products of its masses and velocities.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Strength or force gained by motion or movement.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “momentum” mean?

Of a body in motion: the tendency of a body to maintain its inertial motion; the product of its mass and velocity, or the vector sum of the products of its masses and velocities.

Is “momentum” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.