orbiter

noun

or·​bit·​er ˈȯr-bə-tər How to pronounce orbiter (audio)
: one that orbits: such as
a
: a spacecraft designed to orbit a celestial body without landing on its surface

Examples of orbiter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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To confirm the instrument's accuracy, the mission team compared the new infrared imagery with long-term thermal maps of Mars gathered by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, which has been observing the Red Planet since 2001. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 13 May 2025 Aerobraking for interplanetary missions A few Mars missions, including the Mars reconnaissance orbiter and the Mars Odyssey orbiter, have used aerobraking to reach their target orbits around the red planet. Piyush Mehta, The Conversation, 7 May 2025 This famous orbiter, which taught astronomers that the same comets can show up in our skies repeatedly, takes 76 years to loop around the sun. Kayla Randall, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2025 Other worlds Scientists used instruments on orbiters circling Mars to zoom in on mysterious mounds on the red planet's surface. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for orbiter

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of orbiter was in 1951

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Orbiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orbiter. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

orbiter

noun
or·​bit·​er ˈȯr-bət-ər How to pronounce orbiter (audio)
1
: one that orbits
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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