Copernicus
Nic·o·la·us [nik-uh-ley-uhs], /ˌnɪk əˈleɪ əs/, Mikolaj Kopernik, 1473–1543, Polish astronomer who promulgated the now accepted theory that the earth and the other planets move around the sun (the Copernican System ).
a crater in the second quadrant of the face of the moon, having an extensive ray system: about 56 miles (90 kilometers) in diameter from crest to crest with walls rising about 12,000 feet (3,650 meters) from its floor; having several central mountains the highest being about 2,400 feet (730 meters).
Origin of Copernicus
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How to use Copernicus in a sentence
Nicolaus Copernicus was born on the 19th of February, 1473, at Thorn.
British Dictionary definitions for Copernicus (1 of 2)
/ (kəˈpɜːnɪkəs) /
Nicolaus (ˌnɪkəˈleɪəs). Polish name Mikolaj Kopernik. 1473–1543, Polish astronomer, whose theory of the solar system (the Copernican system) was published in 1543
Derived forms of Copernicus
- Copernican, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for Copernicus (2 of 2)
/ (kəˈpɜːnɪkəs) /
a conspicuous crater on the moon, over 4000 metres deep and 90 kilometres in diameter, from which a system of rays emanates
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for Copernicus
[ kō-pûr′nə-kəs ]
Polish astronomer whose theory that Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun provided the foundation for modern astronomy. His model displaced earlier theories that positioned Earth at the center of the solar system with all objects orbiting it.
biography For Copernicus
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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