orrery

noun or·rery \ ˈȯr-ər-ē , ˈär- \

Definition of orrery

plural orreries

: an apparatus showing the relative positions and motions of bodies in the solar system by balls moved by a clockwork

Recent Examples of orrery from the Web

This could just be a sweet little nod to Martin’s flowery writing, but given that the gyroscope/orrery from the show’s opening credits hangs above the Citadel library, we might be headed for a meta reference to end all meta references.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "Game of Thrones: 8 Easter Eggs, References, and Callbacks You Might Have Missed in “Stormborn”," 25 July 2017
This could just be a sweet little nod to Martin’s flowery writing, but given that the gyroscope/orrery from the show’s opening credits hangs above the Citadel library, we might be headed for a meta reference to end all meta references.

— joanna robinson, vanityfair.com, "Game of Thrones: 8 Easter Eggs, References, and Callbacks You Might Have Missed in “Stormborn”," 25 July 2017
In this context, a top that spins in the hand is like a pocket orrery—a mechanical model of the heavens.

— ian bogost, The Atlantic, "The Fidget Spinner Explains the World," 12 May 2017
Moon Phases is inspired by an orrery, a mechanical model that shows the relative position of planets in the solar system.

— elizabeth stinson, Wired News, "A Gizmo That Shows You What the Moon Will Look Like in 3015," 8 Apr. 2015
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.

— dylan tweney, WIRED, "How to Make a Clock Run for 10,000 Years," 23 June 2011

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.