orbital

[awr-bi-tl]

adjective

1. of or relating to an orbit.

noun

1. Physics, Chemistry.

   1. a wave function describing the state of a single electron in an atom atomic orbital or in a molecule molecular orbital.

   2. the electron in that state.

orbital

/ ˈɔːbɪtəl /

adjective

1. of or denoting an orbit

2. (of a motorway or major road circuit) circling a large city

noun

1. a region surrounding an atomic nucleus in which the probability distribution of the electrons is given by a wave function

2. an orbital road

Other Word Forms

• orbitally adverb
• interorbital adjective
• interorbitally adverb
• preorbital adjective
• superorbital adjective
• transorbital adjective
• unorbital adjective
• unorbitally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of orbital¹

1535–45; < New Latin, Medieval Latin orbitālis; orbit, -al ¹

Example Sentences

To improve forecasts, researchers must follow how solar material and magnetic structures evolve across the Sun and through space, not just from the limited perspective of Earth's orbital plane.

Read more on Science Daily

Image: The picture shows an artist's recreation of the orbital paths of both brown dwarf stars, in blue, and of the unusually orbiting planet, in orange.

Read more on Space Scoop

Skyrora says Skylark L has the potential to be used for microgravity experiments at a lower cost than an orbital vehicle.

Read more on BBC

A large orbital prosthesis and neck scar splints have been made with the aid of the centre's technology.

Read more on BBC

Among the threats publicly identified by US defence officials are hypersonic weapons able to move faster than the speed of sound and fractional orbital bombardment systems - also called Fobs - that could deliver warheads from space.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• annual 
• intermittent 
• monthly 
• occasional 
• recurrent 
• recurring 
• regular 
• repeated 
• routine 
• seasonal 
• sporadic 
• weekly 
• yearly