epicycle

epi·cy·cle

noun \ˈe-pə-ˌsī-kəl\

Definition of EPICYCLE

1

in Ptolemaic astronomy : a circle in which a planet moves and which has a center that is itself carried around at the same time on the circumference of a larger circle

2

: a process going on within a larger one

— epi·cy·clic \ˌe-pə-ˈsī-klik, -ˈsi-klik\ adjective

Origin of EPICYCLE

Middle English epicicle, from Late Latin epicyclus, from Greek epikyklos, from epi- + kyklos circle — more at wheel

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

Rhymes with EPICYCLE

business cycle, carbon cycle, Exercycle, hemicycle, kilocycle, megacycle, motorcycle, unicycle, Wanne-Eickel