PERTURBATION
Dictionary entry overview: What does perturbation mean?
• PERTURBATION (noun)
The noun PERTURBATION has 5 senses:
1. an unhappy and worried mental state
2. (physics) a secondary influence on a system that causes it to deviate slightly
3. activity that is an intrusion or interruption
4. a disposition that is confused or nervous and upset
5. the act of causing disorder
Familiarity information: PERTURBATION used as a noun is common.
Dictionary entry details
• PERTURBATION (noun)
Meaning:
An unhappy and worried mental state
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
perturbation; upset; disturbance
Context examples:
there was too much anger and disturbance / she didn't realize the upset she caused me
Hypernyms ("perturbation" is a kind of...):
agitation (a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance)
Meaning:
(physics) a secondary influence on a system that causes it to deviate slightly
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural phenomena
Hypernyms ("perturbation" is a kind of...):
influence (the effect of one thing (or person) on another)
Domain category:
natural philosophy; physical science; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "perturbation"):
variation ((astronomy) any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite (especially a perturbation of the earth's moon))
Meaning:
Activity that is an intrusion or interruption
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
disturbance; perturbation
Context examples:
he looked around for the source of the disturbance / there was a disturbance of neural function
Hypernyms ("perturbation" is a kind of...):
activity (any specific behavior)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "perturbation"):
bother; fuss; hassle; trouble (an angry disturbance)
magnetic storm (a sudden disturbance of the earth's magnetic field; caused by emission of particles from the sun)
Meaning:
A disposition that is confused or nervous and upset
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
fluster; perturbation
Hypernyms ("perturbation" is a kind of...):
discomposure (a temperament that is perturbed and lacking in composure)
Meaning:
The act of causing disorder
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
disruption; perturbation
Hypernyms ("perturbation" is a kind of...):
disturbance (the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "perturbation"):
breakdown; dislocation (the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue)
surprisal; surprise (the act of surprising someone)
