Coriolis effect: Meaning and Definition of

Co•ri•o'lis effect"

Pronunciation: (kôr"ē-ō'lis), [key]
  1. the apparent deflection of a body in motion with respect to the earth, as seen by an observer on the earth, attributed to a fictitious 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
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.