orbiter

noun

or·​bit·​er ˈȯr-bə-tər 

: one that orbits: such as

a

: a spacecraft designed to orbit a celestial body without landing on its surface

b

: space shuttle

Examples of orbiter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The agency had intended to name the OV-101 orbiter Constitution. — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026

The orbiter was the only one in history to be carried atop a Boeing 747 on a transatlantic tour of European countries and be displayed at the Paris Air Show in France in 1983. — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Fortunately, an unprecedented mission sending two orbiters to Mercury later this year could help answer lingering questions. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

The European orbiter, named Envision, will map the Venusian surface at 10 times higher resolution than the last radar mission sent to Venus by NASA in the 1990s. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

orbit entry 2 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

orbiter

noun

or·​bit·​er ˈȯr-bət-ər 

1

: one that orbits

2

: space shuttle