Copernicus

American  

[koh-pur-ni-kuhs, kuh-] / koʊˈpɜr nɪ kəs, kə- /

noun

1. Nicolaus 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.

2. 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).

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Copernicus ¹ British  

/ kəˈpɜːnɪkəs /

noun

1. Nicolaus (ˌnɪkəˈleɪəs). Polish name Mikolaj Kopernik. 1473–1543, Polish astronomer, whose theory of the solar system (the Copernican system ) was published in 1543

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Copernicus ² British  

/ kəˈpɜːnɪkəs /

noun

1. a conspicuous crater on the moon, over 4000 metres deep and 90 kilometres in diameter, from which a system of rays emanates

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Copernicus Scientific  

/ kō-pûr′nə-kəs /

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• Copernican
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of Copernicus

First recorded in 1580–90; Latinized form of Kopernik, Koppernik, Koppernigk

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Copernicus

Copernicus “started, if perhaps unintentionally, the Scientific Revolution” while living in the “mushy transition from the medieval period to the Renaissance.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

The estimated cumulative total estimated fire emissions "still remain lower than in 2015," Mark Parrington, senior scientist at Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Sentinel-3C is the third spacecraft in Europe's Sentinel-3 satellite series, a central part of the Copernicus Earth observation program.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

The Copernicus Ocean State Report depicts profound changes across the world's seas, from record-breaking heatwaves in the Mediterranean and Black seas to shifts in marine ecosystems and increasingly acidic waters.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

In fact, he had very bad judgement when it came to good science, dismissing the work of Copernicus and Gilbert out of hand.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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