Relating to or affected by the regular rise and fall of ocean water levels caused by gravitational forces of the moon and sun. Describes phenomena that occur in rhythm with these predictable water movements.
From Old English 'tid' meaning 'time' or 'season', related to the concept of regular timing. The connection to ocean movements developed because tides occur at predictable intervals.
Tidal forces are so powerful they actually slow down Earth's rotation by about 2 milliseconds per century! Many coastal organisms have evolved internal clocks that match tidal rhythms, allowing them to anticipate when to feed or reproduce.
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