Centrifugal describes a force or movement that seems to push things away from the center as they spin. It is often talked about with spinning machines, rides, or planets.
From Neo-Latin 'centrifugus', from Latin 'centrum' (center) and 'fugere' (to flee). It literally means 'fleeing from the center'.
The word literally means 'running away from the center', which is exactly how it feels on a spinning ride. Physicists will tell you it’s a 'fake' or 'apparent' force—but the language captures the human experience of being flung outward.
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