Copernican
Americanadjective
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of or relating to Copernicus or his theories.
-
important and radically different; thoroughgoing.
a Copernican revolution in modern art.
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Its five time periods include the Pre-Nectarian, Nectarian, Imbrian, Eratosthenian and Copernican.
From Salon • Dec. 13, 2023
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
Interestingly though, if a multiverse truly exists, it also suggests that Copernican cosmic humility can only be taken so far.
From Scientific American • Apr. 19, 2023
Finding a way around this thermodynamic conundrum would truly require a Copernican revolution in our understanding of physics.
From Slate • Nov. 26, 2022
It was a new and greatly revised edition of his father’s first book now titled Prognostication Everlasting, and it included a detailed discussion of the Copernican model of the Universe—the first such description in English.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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.
