cen ‧ trip ‧ e ‧ tal force /senˌtrɪpətl ˈfɔːs, senˌtrɪpɪtl ˈfɔːs $ -ˈfɔːrs/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: Modern Latin ; Origin: centripetus , from centr- 'center' + Latin petere 'to go to, try to find' ]
technical a force which makes things move towards the centre of something when they are moving around it