An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Any frame of reference in which the law of inertia does not apply, such as in accelerating and rotating frames. For example,
the Earth is a non-inertial frame because it is rotating about its axis. But the rotation is so slow that the associated acceleration is negligible compared to other accelerations commonly encountered in everyday life. However, the non-inertial nature of the Earth appears in, e.g., the → Coriolis effect. → inertial reference frame.

See also: → non-; → inertial; → frame.