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Definition of orrery
orreries
: an apparatus showing the relative positions and motions of bodies in the solar system by balls moved by a clockwork
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of orrery from the Web
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In this context, a top that spins in the hand is like a pocket orrery—a mechanical model of the heavens.
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Moon Phases is inspired by an orrery, a mechanical model that shows the relative position of planets in the solar system.
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Rose then oversaw the building of other prototype components, such as the mechanical computer that sequences the clock’s chimes, the orrery and the solar synchronizer, which are on display in the Long Now Foundation’s San Francisco office.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'orrery'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of orrery
Origin and Etymology of orrery
Charles Boyle †1731 4th Earl of Orrery
Learn More about orrery
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about orrery
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