rotation

noun

ro·​ta·​tion rō-ˈtā-shən 

1

a(1)

: the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center

(2)

: the act or an instance of rotating something

b

: one complete turn : the angular displacement required to return a rotating body or figure to its original orientation

2

a

: return or succession in a series

rotation of the seasons

b

: crop rotation

3

: the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot

4

: a game of pool in which all 15 object balls are shot in numerical order

5

: the series of pitchers on a baseball team who regularly start successive games in turn

rotational

rō-ˈtā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Synonyms

• gyration
• pirouette
• reel
• revolution
• roll
• spin
• twirl
• wheel
• whirl

Examples of rotation in a Sentence

the rotation of the Earth around its axis

the rotation of the Moon around the Earth

The Earth makes one rotation every day.

Alfalfa and corn are planted in rotation.

the rotation of the job of club president

The car needs a tire rotation.

Recent Examples on the Web

This phenomenon occurs in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles due to the Earth’s rotation in relation to where the sun is positioned. —Cecilia Blomdahl, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

The Bucks are making the final tweaks to their preparation, and with the backcourt reshaped around Damian Lillard, the shooting guard rotation raises several key questions. —Brian Sampson, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

So as blazer season roars in, Bermuda shorts have been a welcome addition to the rotation—the extra skin happily balancing out a very structured and fully covered turtleneck and blazer. —Becky Malinksy, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2024

Earth’s daily rotation has slowed down over time; when dinosaurs roamed the planet, a day lasted just 23.5 hours. —Laura Helmuth, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing rotation

• crop rotation
• optical rotation

Kids Definition

rotation

noun

ro·​ta·​tion rō-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the act of rotating especially on an axis

b

: one complete turn

2

: crop rotation

rotational

-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

rotation

noun

ro·​ta·​tion rō-ˈtā-shən 

: the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center

specifically : the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot

rotation of the head to look over the shoulder

rotational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective