orbit
verb/ˈɔːbɪt/
/ˈɔːrbɪt/
[transitive, intransitive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they orbit | /ˈɔːbɪt/ /ˈɔːrbɪt/ |
| he / she / it orbits | /ˈɔːbɪts/ /ˈɔːrbɪts/ |
| past simple orbited | /ˈɔːbɪtɪd/ /ˈɔːrbɪtɪd/ |
| past participle orbited | /ˈɔːbɪtɪd/ /ˈɔːrbɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form orbiting | /ˈɔːbɪtɪŋ/ /ˈɔːrbɪtɪŋ/ |
- to move in an orbit (= a curved path) around a much larger object, especially a planet, star, etc.
- Stars near the edge of the galaxy orbit more slowly.
- orbit something The earth takes a year to orbit the sun.
- orbit around something This technique has been used to detect planets orbiting around other stars.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (referring to the eye socket): from Latin orbita ‘course, track’ (in medieval Latin ‘eye socket’), feminine of orbitus ‘circular’, from orbis ‘ring’.
Check pronunciation:
orbit