orbit
pronunciation
How to pronounce orbit in British English:
UK [ˈɔːbɪt]
How to pronounce orbit in American English:
US [ˈɔːrbɪt]
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- Noun:
- the (usually elliptical) path described by one celestial body in its revolution about another
- a particular environment or walk of life
- an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
- the path of an electron around the nucleus of an atom
- the bony cavity in the skull containing the eyeball
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- Verb:
- move in an orbit
Word Origin
- orbit
- orbit: [16] Orbit comes from Latin orbita. This was a derivative of the noun orbis, which originally meant ‘circle, disc’. It was applied metaphorically to a number of circular things, including the ‘circular path of a satellite’ (from which the main meaning of orbit comes) and also the ‘eye socket’, and eventually came to be applied to ‘spheres’ as well as ‘circles’ – whence English orb [16].=> orb
- orbit (n.)
- late 14c., "the eye socket," from Old French orbite or directly from Medieval Latin orbita, transferred use of Latin orbita "wheel track, beaten path, rut, course, orbit" (see orb). Astronomical sense first recorded 1690s in English; it was in classical Latin, revived in Gerard of Cremona's translation of Avicenna. The Old English word for "eye socket" was eaghring.
- orbit (v.)
- 1946, from orbit (n.). Related: Orbited; orbiting.
Synonym
Example
- 1. It 's these particles that reach fermi 's orbit .
- 2. Scientists think that this speed coupled with the planet 's heft yields strong gravitational tugs that can alter the planets orbit .
- 3. But low-earth orbit isn 't a perfect vacuum .
- 4. Commercial vehicles would access low-earth orbit .
- 5. The earth 's orbit is getting crowded .