planetary

American  

[plan-i-ter-ee] / ˈplæn ɪˌtɛr i /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a planet or the planets.

2. wandering; erratic.

3. terrestrial; global.

4. Machinery. noting or pertaining to an epicyclic gear train in which a sun gear is linked to one or more planet gears also engaging with an encircling ring gear.

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noun

1. Machinery. a planetary gear train.

planetary British  

/ ˈplænɪtərɪ, -trɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to a planet

2. mundane; terrestrial

3. wandering or erratic

4. astrology under the influence of one of the planets

5. (of a gear, esp an epicyclic gear) having an axis that rotates around that of another gear

6. (of an electron) having an orbit around the nucleus of an atom

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noun

1. a train of planetary gears

Other Word Forms

• nonplanetary adjective

Etymology

Origin of planetary

From the Latin word planētārius, dating back to 1585–95. See planet, -ary

Example Sentences

Erica Luzzi, a planetary geologist and postdoctoral researcher with the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute, led a study that uncovered signs of water ice located just below the Martian surface.

From Science Daily

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn all took part in the planetary parade.

From BBC

Half of us globally and at least 90 percent of Canadians need to change our diets to prevent severe planetary warming.

From Science Daily

His work focuses on how water and minerals behave under intense pressure, knowledge that is critical for understanding whether other planetary environments might support life.

From Science Daily

Hot exozodiacal dust challenges basic ideas about how planetary systems behave.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• global
• terrestrial