# oscillation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌɑː.səˈleɪ.ʃən/ · frequency rank #30,523

## Definitions
1. the act of oscillating or the state of being oscillated
2. a regular periodic fluctuation in value about some mean
3. a single such cycle
4. (of a function) defined for each point x in the domain of the function by inf diam(f(U))∣Uisaneighborhoodofx, and describes the difference (possibly ∞) between the limit superior and limit inferior of the function near that point.

## Etymology
From French oscillation, from Latin oscillatio, from Latin oscillo. By surface analysis, oscillate + -ion.

## Easily confused with
- **oscillator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oscillation-vs-oscillator)
- **oscillating** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oscillating-vs-oscillation)

## Common misspellings (15)
`ocsillation`, `osccillation`, `oscilaltion`, `oscilation`, `oscillaiton`, `oscillasion`, `oscillatino`, `oscillationn`, `oscillatoin`, `oscillattion`, `oscilltaion`, `osclilation`, `osicllation`, `osscillation`, `socillation`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/oscillation