Nutation is a rocking, swaying, or nodding motion in the axis of rotation of a largely axially symmetric object, such as a gyroscope, planet, or bullet in flight, or as an intended behaviour of a mechanism. In an appropriate reference frame it can be defined as a change in the second Euler angle.

Is Nutate a word?

verb (used without object), nu·tat·ed, nu·tat·ing. to undergo or show nutation.

What is nutation in simple terms?

1 archaic : the act of nodding the head. 2 : oscillatory movement of the axis of a rotating body (such as the earth) : wobble. 3 : a spontaneous usually spiral movement of a growing plant part.