1. present participle of nutation; moving in a nodding or oscillating motion, especially of a celestial body or plant stem
Usage: astronomy: describes the slight irregular motion of Earth's axis; botany: describes the circular or spiral movement of a growing plant stem or tendril

1. characterized by or exhibiting nutation; moving with a nodding or oscillating motion
Usage: technical term used in astronomy and botany

Examples

• The Earth's axis is nutating slightly as it spins through space.
• The climbing vine was nutating as it searched for a support to climb.
• Astronomers study the nutating motion of celestial bodies to refine their models.
• The plant's nutating stem helped it explore its environment for light.
• The telescope must account for the Earth's nutating axis when making precise measurements.
• Young sunflower stems exhibit nutating behavior as they grow toward the sun.