circumlunar

adjective

cir·​cum·​lu·​nar ˌsər-kəm-ˈlü-nər How to pronounce circumlunar (audio)
: revolving about or surrounding the moon
a circumlunar orbit

Examples of circumlunar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Current plans call for Artemis II to carry a crew of four on a circumlunar journey late next year, and Artemis III to follow with a crewed lunar landing before the end of the decade. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 May 2025 Then comes Tito and the second circumlunar mission. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 14 Oct. 2022 These programs enabled the Soviets to score a number of firsts: first lunar impact (Luna 2), first images of the farside (Luna 3), first soft landing (Luna 9), first orbiter (Luna 10), and first circumlunar missions returned to Earth (Luna 16). Amy Shira Teitel, Discover Magazine, 29 Jan. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of circumlunar was circa 1909

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Circumlunar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circumlunar. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

circumlunar

adjective
cir·​cum·​lu·​nar ˌsər-kəm-ˈlü-nər How to pronounce circumlunar (audio)
: revolving about or surrounding the moon
a circumlunar orbit
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