- another name for nutation
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
circumnutation /ˌsɜkəmnjuːˈteɪʃən/ n
cir•cum•nu•tate
(sûr′kəm no̅o̅′tāt, -nyo̅o̅′-),USA pronunciation v.i., -tat•ed, -tat•ing.
cir′cum•nu•ta′tion, n.
cir•cum•nu•ta•to•ry
(sûr′kəm no̅o̅′tə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē, -nyo̅o̅′-),USA pronunciation adj.
- Botany(of the apex of a stem or other growing part of a plant) to bend or move around in an irregular circular or elliptical path.
- Latin nūtātus, past participle of nūtāre to nod in assent, sway, totter
- 1875–80; circum- + nutate
'circumnutation' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):