adj
centrifugal
sehn-trih-FYOO-gl
adj
1
Moving or tending to move away from the center.
"The spinning drum uses centrifugal force to push water out through the holes."
noun
1
A machine that spins materials at high speed to separate them, such as in sugar processing.
"The mill uses a centrifugal to separate sugar crystals from the syrup."
How to Use Centrifugal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes a force or motion that pushes things outward, away from the center of rotation.
Common mistake
Often confused with "centripetal", which is the force pulling something toward the center — the opposite direction.
Easily confused with
centripetal
Word Forms
centrifugals plural
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The spinning drum uses _____ force to push water out through the holes.
Etymology
Coined in New Latin from centrum ("center") + fugere ("to flee") — literally "fleeing from the center".