primum mobile
Americannoun
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(in Ptolemaic astronomy) the outermost of the 10 concentric spheres of the universe, making a complete revolution every 24 hours and causing all the others to do likewise.
noun
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a prime mover
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astronomy the outermost empty sphere in the Ptolemaic system that was thought to revolve around the earth from east to west in 24 hours carrying with it the inner spheres of the planets, sun, moon, and fixed stars
Etymology
Origin of primum mobile
Literally, “first moving (thing)”
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.
The innermost was the central and unmoving earth; outward from the earth were the spheres of the moon, of the five known planets, of the sun and the zodiac, and finally the primum mobile.
From Time Magazine Archive
Seraphs, the most powerful angels, kept the primum mobile moving; cherubs moved the zodiac, thrones the sphere of Saturn, and so on down to the moon, which fell under the care of common angels.
From Time Magazine Archive
There was no doubt whatever that Judge McCamant was the primum mobile of the chain of accidents which made our present President.
From Time Magazine Archive
The ninth was the primum mobile, and inclosing all was the tenth heaven—the Empyrean.
From History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom by White, Andrew Dickson
The author of this scheme owns all the ground thereabouts; so that private interest, and not patriotism, would seem to be the primum mobile of their suggestions.
From Journal of a Visit to Constantinople and Some of the Greek Islands in the Spring and Summer of 1833 by Auldjo, John
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.
