barycentric
|ba-ry-cen-tric|
🇺🇸
/ˌbæriˈsɛntrɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌbærɪˈsɛntrɪk/
center of mass
Etymology
'barycentric' originates from New Latin/Modern English formation based on the noun 'barycenter' (also spelled 'barycentre'), which in turn is formed from Greek elements 'barýs' and 'kentrón', where 'barýs' meant 'heavy' and 'kentrón' meant 'center'.
'barycentric' changed from New Latin 'barycentrum' and the noun forms 'barycentre'/'barycenter' used in scientific languages and eventually became the English adjective 'barycentric'.
Initially it referred specifically to the 'heavy center' or center of mass of a system, and over time it retained and specialized into its modern technical meanings relating to center of mass and coordinate systems.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or measured from the barycenter (the center of mass) of a system of bodies.
The barycentric motion of the two stars causes them to orbit their common center of mass.
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Adjective 2
of or using barycentric coordinates or methods, especially in geometry and numerical interpolation.
Barycentric coordinates provide a convenient way to express a point relative to a triangle's vertices.
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Last updated: 2026/01/16 09:16