orbit

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Synonyms 1.4.2 Translations 1.5 Derived terms 1.6 See also

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Latin orbita ‘course, track’.

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)bɪt

[edit] Noun

orbit (plural orbits)

1. A circular or elliptical path of one object around another object.

   The Moon's orbit around the Earth takes nearly one month to complete.

2. A sphere of influence; an area of control.

   In the post WWII era, several eastern European countries came into the orbit of the Soviet Union.

3. The course of one's usual progression, or the extent of one's typical range.

   The convenience store was a heavily travelled point in her daily orbit, as she purchased both cigarettes and lottery tickets there.

4. (anatomy) The bony cavity containing the eyeball; the eye socket.
5. (physics) The path an electron takes around an atom's nucleus
6. (mathematics) A collection of points related by the evolution function of a dynamical system.

[edit] Translations

eye socket See eye socket.

[edit] Verb

to orbit (third-person singular simple present orbits, present participle orbiting, simple past and past participle orbited)

1. To circle or revolve around another object.

   The Earth orbits the Sun.

2. To move around the general vicinity of something.

   The harried mother had a cloud of children orbiting her, asking for sweets.

3. To place an object into an orbit around a planet

   A rocket was used to orbit the satellite

[edit] Synonyms

• (move around the general vicinity of): circumambulate, tag along
• (place an object into an orbit): launch

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

• orbital

[edit] See also

• satellite