Copernican
Americanadjective
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of or relating to Copernicus or his theories.
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important and radically different; thoroughgoing.
a Copernican revolution in modern art.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Copernican
First recorded in 1660–70; Copernic(us) + -an
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As Justin Garson writes in “The Madness Pill: One Doctor’s Quest to Understand Schizophrenia,” the effect on psychiatry was like “the Copernican revolution in physics.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
They refer to this broader idea as the "Copernican principle of consciousness."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026
He imagines “a Copernican swerve in how we interact with nature,” one in which we come to imagine ourselves not as nature’s masters or stewards, but once again as part of its patterns and rhythms.
From Salon ● Dec. 9, 2023
The Copernican principle teaches us humility, yes, but it also reminds us to keep our curiosity and passion for exploration alive and vibrant.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 19, 2023
This does not prove, as some have imagined, that he was a secret Copernican, only that there were plenty of craters to go round.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
