rotary

1 of 2

adjective

ro·​ta·​ry ˈrō-tə-rē 

1

a

: 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

2 of 2

noun

plural rotaries

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

In five years, talking to a human in a contact center will feel as quaint as dialing a rotary phone. —Alex Levin, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

My house was built in 1955, and its original owner probably had a black and white TV with a roof-top antenna, a rotary phone and maybe a few table radios. —Larry Magid, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025

Noun

The six-speed ZF transmission is an eager servant, and its unique rotary knob rises automatically from the console like the Armageddon button in a James Bond movie. —IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2011

Today, the 3 billion crayons the company makes every year are all manufactured via high-speed rotary molds capable of churning out 1,300 crayons a minute. —Brit Morse, Fortune, 6 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Medieval Latin rotarius, from Latin rota wheel

First Known Use

Adjective

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rotary

• rotary cultivator
• rotary engine
• rotary-wing aircraft

Rhymes for rotary

• coterie
• notary
• votary
• electrocautery
• prothonotary

Kids Definition

rotary

1 of 2 adjective

ro·​ta·​ry ˈrōt-ə-rē 

1

a

: turning on an axis like a wheel

a rotary blade

b

: taking place about an axis

rotary motion

2

: having a rotating part

a rotary lawn mower

rotary

2 of 2 noun

plural rotaries

1

: a rotary machine

2

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