Dictionary

oscillate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɑsɪleɪt/ (US)

Etymology

First attested in 1726; borrowed from Latin ōscillātus, perfect passive participle of Latin ōscillō (“to swing”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ōscillum (“a swing”), usually identified with ōscillum (“a little face or mask hung on a tree that sways with the wind”), diminutive of ōs (“mouth, face”). See also osculate.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.
   • A pendulum oscillates slower as it gets longer.
   • By placing the 0.02μF capacitor on top of the whistle chip, the circuit oscillates at a lower frequency. 2021 December 14, “Snap Circuits Classic”, in Snap Circuits, Elenco, page 27:
2. (intransitive) To vacillate between conflicting opinions, etc.
   • The mood for change oscillated from day to day.
3. (intransitive) To vary above and below a mean value.

Forms

Deriveds

unoscillated · oscillative · oscillator · oscillaton

Relateds

undulate · oscillation

Synonyms

vacillate

Translations (44)

ja 振動する (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · he הִתְנוֹדֵד (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · de vibrieren (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · fr osciller (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · ru кача́ться (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · uk колива́тися (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · ru колеба́ться (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · sl zanihati (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · bg осцилирам (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · de pendeln (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · el ταλαντεύομαι (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · gl oscilar (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · cy osgiliadu (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · el αιωρούμαι (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · fi oskilloida (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · mi piupiu (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · cs oscilovat (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · ro oscila (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · de zittern (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · cs kmitat (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · de changieren (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · de schwingen (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · ca oscil·lar (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · pl oscylować (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · it oscillare (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · el διακυμαίνομαι (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · uk осцилювати (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · he תָּנְדָה (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · bg вибрирам (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · fi heilua (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · ga ascalaigh (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · de oszillieren (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · et võnkliikuma (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · es oscilar (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · he תָּנַד (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · cmn 振盪 /振荡 (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · ru осцилли́ровать (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · he הִתְנוֹדְדָה (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · sl nihati (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · sv pendla (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · mi kōpiupiu (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · fi värähdellä (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · hu oszcillál (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm) · pt oscilar (to swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm)