gyroscope

noun

gy·​ro·​scope ˈjī-rə-ˌskōp How to pronounce gyroscope (audio)
 British also  ˈgī-
: a wheel or disk mounted to spin rapidly about an axis and also free to rotate about one or both of two axes perpendicular to each other and to the axis of spin so that a rotation of one of the two mutually perpendicular axes results from application of torque to the other when the wheel is spinning and so that the entire apparatus offers considerable opposition depending on the angular momentum to any torque that would change the direction of the axis of spin
gyroscopic adjective
gyroscopically adverb

Illustration of gyroscope

Illustration of gyroscope

Examples of gyroscope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like the optical gyroscopes that appeared before it, this gyroscope leveraged the Sagnac effect, a principle first demonstrated in 1913 by French physicist Georges Sagnac. IEEE Spectrum, 10 Feb. 2025 The accelerometers and gyroscopes can process inputs every five milliseconds, but the steering angle sensor outputs every 10 milliseconds. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 8 Apr. 2024 Advanced sensors with accelerometers and gyroscopes track shots and passes with 1,000 data points per second. Jennifer Kite-Powell, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 The new touchpad, gyroscope, and both RGB lighting and TDP configuration options are among the things on their to-do list. Sean Hollister, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gyroscope

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gyroscope was in 1856

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Cite this Entry

“Gyroscope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gyroscope. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

gyroscope

noun
gy·​ro·​scope ˈjī-rə-ˌskōp How to pronounce gyroscope (audio)
: a wheel or disk mounted to spin rapidly about an axis that is free to turn in various directions
gyroscopic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on gyroscope

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