wavecalculus
/ˈweɪvˌkalkjələs/nounVerified NewThe split-second computation of whether to greet someone you half-know in public.
Distance, eye contact, prior wave counts and escape routes are weighed in under a second. Both parties run it, and both occasionally mistime it and are left waving alone.
Etym. — wave + calculus — higher mathematics applied to the pavement.
Rel. — unwavedyear
Novelty check: NEW · checked 2026-11-08
review evidence: wordstoreview/review-batch-3-09-social.md
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Method: Editorial batch review — per-word exact-form web search (WebSearch/Tavily) per docs/REVIEW-criteria.md §2