What does "kinematics" mean?

The branch of mechanics concerned with objects in motion, but not with the forces involved.

What is a synonym for "kinematics"?

Common synonyms include: activity, actuation, aerodynamics, aerography, aerology, aeromechanics.

Pronounced //ˌkɪnəˈmætɪks//.

//ˌkɪnəˈmætɪks// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The branch of mechanics concerned with objects in motion, but not with the forces involved. uncountable
2
the branch of mechanics concerned with motion without reference to force or mass wordnet

French cinématique, from Ancient Greek κίνημα (kínēma, “motion”) + -ics.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.