Other forms: gravitated, gravitating, gravitates
To gravitate is to be drawn steadily towards something. Gravitate towards the kitchen, gravitate to the same people, naturally gravitates.
It nearly always takes towards or to and describes a drift rather than a decision, which is exactly why it is useful about behaviour. The physical sense is where the image comes from.
1verbgravitateTo be drawn steadily towards something.
“At parties, he always gravitates towards the kitchen.”
gravitate is a moving.
New Latin gravitare comes from gravis, heavy, the root of gravity.
Proto-Indo-European
*gʷreh₂-
New Latin
gravitāt-
English, today
gravitate
Borrowed from New Latin gravitāt-, past participial stem of gravitō.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA