rotary

ro·ta·ry | \ ˈrō-tə-rē

How to pronounce rotary (audio)

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Definition of rotary

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : turning on an axis like a wheel

b : taking place about an axis rotary motion

2 : having an important part that turns on an axis rotary cutter

3 : characterized by rotation

4 : of, relating to, or being a press in which paper is printed by rotation in contact with a curved printing surface attached to a cylinder

rotary

plural rotaries

Definition of rotary (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a rotary machine

2 : a road junction formed around a central circle about which traffic moves in one direction only

— called also circle, traffic circle

Examples of rotary in a Sentence

Adjective the rotary action of the wheel

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The screen is augment by a rotary knob on the center console, which can also be used to control the screen. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, "The 2020 Cadillac XT6 is good, but not nearly good enough (auto review)," 11 Jan. 2020 Even in Abbeville, on a recent morning, workers in fluorescent orange vests and hard hats were breaking ground on yet another rotary, as cars were backed up by the construction. — BostonGlobe.com, "Even in Abbeville, on a recent morning, workers in fluorescent orange vests and hard hats were breaking ground on yet another rotary, as cars were backed up by the construction.," 26 Dec. 2019 Colorado’s rotary rig count has fallen from 34 a year ago to only 22 this week, according to Baker Hughes. — Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, "Colorado’s oil and gas employment tumbles for first time since March 2017," 21 Dec. 2019 In addition to the touchscreen, drivers can use a single rotary knob located near the bottom of the screen to control the system. — NBC News, "Ford unveils Mustang electric vehicle," 18 Nov. 2019 What do rotary-dial and cordless phones have in common? — Kim Komando, USA TODAY, "10 things you don’t need around the house anymore because of tech," 2 Dec. 2019 The rotary-dial phone came from Burch’s dad and grandfather’s optometry office in Caney, Kansas. — Kathryn O'shea-evans, House Beautiful, "Every Detail in This Jackson, Wyoming Cottage Has a Fascinating Story," 18 Nov. 2019 Once only rotary mechanical locks, they have been replaced by harder to crack electromechanical systems. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Could Someone Actually Steal a U.S. Nuke?," 25 Oct. 2019 The mid-19th Century invention of the rotary printing press revolutionized newspaper production and vastly increased circulation. — Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, "Kafer: The internet has changed our lives for the better too," 25 Oct. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun In Abbeville last year, some Yellow Vest protesters first gathered at one of the town’s biggest rotaries, near a major shopping mall. — BostonGlobe.com, "Even in Abbeville, on a recent morning, workers in fluorescent orange vests and hard hats were breaking ground on yet another rotary, as cars were backed up by the construction.," 26 Dec. 2019 Their ubiquity in Abbeville is an extreme example of France’s unabashed embrace of the rotary, found in abundance throughout the country and widely credited for making roads safer and less clogged. — BostonGlobe.com, "Even in Abbeville, on a recent morning, workers in fluorescent orange vests and hard hats were breaking ground on yet another rotary, as cars were backed up by the construction.," 26 Dec. 2019 As Popular Mechanics noted in our recent feature about the story and legacy of the Wankel rotary, the engine hasn't been featured in a car since the Mazda RX-8 was canceled in 2018. — Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Second Spin: The Mazda Rotary Engine Will Return," 2 Oct. 2018 Presuming its final design comes to fruition, the Szorenyi faces an existential question: What is the rotary's place in the world? — Matthew Jancer, Popular Mechanics, "The Rhombus Rotary Engine: Can a Quirky New Design Top the Famous Wankel?," 18 Jan. 2019 The truck was last seen entering the rotary in the area of Broadway and Main Street in Everett. — BostonGlobe.com, "Hit-and-run community alert for white pick up truck cancelled," 28 July 2019 The rollover location is about a half-mile north of the West Beach/Middle Beach rotary. — Peter Marteka, courant.com, "Haddam community mourns 18-year-old killed in Hammonasset State Park crash," 25 June 2019 Only Mazda really went for it, using rotaries mostly famously in sports cars such as the RX-7 and grand tourers such as the Cosmo. — Matthew Jancer, Popular Mechanics, "The Rhombus Rotary Engine: Can a Quirky New Design Top the Famous Wankel?," 18 Jan. 2019 Instead, a version of the rotary will act as a range extender in one of two electric vehicles the brand will debut for 2020. — Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Second Spin: The Mazda Rotary Engine Will Return," 2 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rotary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near rotary

rotary bridge crane

Statistics for rotary

Last Updated

17 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Rotary.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotary. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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More Definitions for rotary

rotary

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of rotary

: turning around a central point like a wheel

: having a part that turns around a central point like a wheel

See the full definition for rotary in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rotary

ro·ta·ry | \ ˈrō-tə-rē

\

Kids Definition of rotary

1 : turning on an axis like a wheel a rotary blade

2 : having a rotating part

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