/kawr'ee oh"lis/
the apparent deflection (Coriolis acceleration) of a body in motion with respect to the earth, as seen by an observer on the earth, attributed to a fictitious force (Coriolis force) but actually caused by the rotation of the earth and appearing as a deflection to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and a deflection to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. Also called deflecting force .
[ 1965-70; named after Gaspard G. Coriolis (d. 1843), French civil engineer ]