orbit

1 of 3

noun (1)

or·​bit ˈȯr-bət 

: the bony socket of the eye

The orbit encloses and protects the eye and its appendages.

orbit

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

a

: a path described by one body in its revolution about another (as by the earth about the sun or by an electron about an atomic nucleus)

also : one complete revolution of a body describing such a path

b

: a circular path

2

: a range or sphere of activity or influence

within the president's orbit

orbit

3 of 3

verb

orbited; orbiting; orbits

transitive verb

1

: to revolve in an orbit around : circle

2

: to send up and make revolve in an orbit

orbit a satellite

intransitive verb

: to travel in circles

Synonyms

Verb

• circle
• circuit
• circumnavigate
• circumvent
• compass
• encircle
• girdle
• ring
• round

Choose the Right Synonym for orbit

range, gamut, compass, sweep, scope, orbit mean the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control).

range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

Examples of orbit in a Sentence

Verb

The Moon orbits the Earth.

The satellites orbit at different heights.

The Moon orbits around the Earth.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Theories abound for explaining the observed orbits of TNOs—and astronomers have spent the past eight years discussing and debating which make the most sense. —Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 2 May 2024

Daus also described contact information for various people in Trump's orbit, such as Melania Trump and the Trump 2016 campaign's press secretary, Hope Hicks. —David Jackson, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024

And, some of the sources who spoke with ABC News warned, advisers' worries matter little compared to the opinion of Trump himself, who is said to be reluctant to permanently expel people from his orbit. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 1 May 2024

Roughly 5,900 are still in orbit, but Starlink isn't legally available to everyone. —Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 1 May 2024

The study looks further into objects that have crossed Neptune and how the orbits were affected, taking into consideration things like the Galactic tide and passing stars, per the outlet. —Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024

But the bill has long fueled fears that the government, under the guiding hand of the Moscow-friendly oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and de facto leader of Georgian Dream, is sliding back into Russia’s orbit and could scuttle the country’s plans to join the European Union. —Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024

The chaotic fall from orbit finally came to an end when the cargo pallet reentered on March 8 around 3:29 p.m. —Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 16 Apr. 2024

Jovian orbits that are far from Europa form such a family; so do orbits close to Europa. —Quanta Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024

Verb

Japan lunar lander powers away on moon China's mission is the latest in a series of lunar missions designed to orbit or land on the moon's surface. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024

These oddballs were orbiting at very high angles compared to other TNOs, and they were lined up in the same direction. —Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 2 May 2024

By way of comparison, Jupiter orbits around five AU from the sun and Neptune around 30 AU. —Will Dunham, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Apr. 2024

How Gaia Formed Researchers suspect that the star orbiting BH3, probably formed in the first two billion years after the big bang, according to a press release. —Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024

But because Europa is constantly bombarded by intense radiation created by Jupiter’s magnetic field, the Clipper spacecraft can’t orbit the moon itself. —Quanta Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024

The program’s end forced the space agency to turn to Russia, which — as tensions eased in the post-Cold War era — was a primary US partner on the space station and had a reliable vehicle called Soyuz to ferry its cosmonauts to the orbiting outpost. —Jackie Wattles, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024

Doing away with a conventional dial, hands, and crown, The Freak instead proposed a new system built around a one-hour, orbiting carousel containing parts of the automatic movement — a movement that, in a watch-industry first, featured a silicon escapement. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024

As the moon orbits the Earth, and the Earth spins on its axis, that shadow moves across the surface of the planet at about 1,600 km/h (1,000 mph). —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English orbite, orbita, borrowed from Medieval Latin orbita (probably as translation of Greek trochiá), going back to Latin, "track, rut, path of a heavenly body" — more at orbit entry 2

Noun (2)

borrowed from Latin orbita "track, rut, path of a heavenly body," probably derivative of an adjective stem *orbi-t- "wheel-like," derivative of orbis "disk, circle, wheel" — more at orb entry 1

Verb

derivative of orbit entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1943, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing orbit

• low earth orbit

Kids Definition

orbit

1 of 3 noun

or·​bit ˈȯr-bət 

: one of the bone-lined cavities for the eyes in the vertebrate skull

called also eye socket

orbit

2 of 3 noun

: the path taken by one body circling around another body

the orbit of the earth around the sun

also : one complete circle that makes up such a path

orbital

-ᵊl

adjective

orbit

3 of 3 verb

1

: to move in an orbit around : circle

the moon orbits the earth

2

: to send up so as to move in an orbit

orbit a satellite

Etymology

Noun

Middle English orbit "eye socket," from Latin orbita (same meaning), from earlier orbita "path, rut, track"

Noun

from Latin orbita "path, rut, track"

Medical Definition

orbit

noun

or·​bit ˈȯr-bət 

: the bony cavity perforated for the passage of nerves and blood vessels that occupies the lateral front of the skull immediately beneath the frontal bone on each side and encloses and protects the eye and its appendages

called also eye socket, orbital cavity

orbital

-ᵊl 

adjective