geocentrism

American  

[jeeoh-sen-triz-uhm] / ˌdʒioʊˈsɛn trɪz əm /

Also geocentricism

noun

1. a cosmological theory of the universe, disproved by Galileo, in which the earth is at the center and the sun and planets revolve around it.

2. the belief or attitude that the earth, its inhabitants, and their needs are the most important thing in the universe.

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Other Word Forms

• geocentricist
  noun
• geocentrist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of geocentrism

First recorded in 1880–85; 1915–20 geocentrism for def. 2; geocentr(ic) ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Example Sentences

Information-based theories of physics seem like a throwback to geocentrism, which assumed the universe revolves around us.

From Scientific American • Aug. 14, 2021

The Dialogue consisted of two imaginary interlocutors, one of whom presented the case for heliocentrism, the other for geocentrism.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

Heliocentrism beats geocentrism, oxidation-reduction chemistry beats phlogiston, Einstein over Newton, plate tectonics, etc.

From Scientific American • Jun. 4, 2017

What did Galileo discover about the planet Jupiter that cast doubt on exclusive geocentrism?

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

The resistance to Aristarchus and Copernicus, a kind of geocentrism in everyday life, remains with us; we still talk about the Sun “rising” and the Sun “setting.”

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan