orbital
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
of or denoting an orbit
-
(of a motorway or major road circuit) circling a large city
noun
-
a region surrounding an atomic nucleus in which the probability distribution of the electrons is given by a wave function
-
an orbital road
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of orbital
1535–45; < New Latin, Medieval Latin orbitālis; see orbit, -al 1
Compare meaning
How does orbital compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Something that's orbital has something to do with an orbit. A satellite's orbital path is the exact route it takes as it travels around the Earth. When planets, moons, or spacecraft move around other objects in an orbit — a curved, regular path — you can describe this movement as orbital. An orbital period is the length of time it takes a craft or body to make a complete pass around the object it orbits. Another way to use this adjective is to mean "relating to an eye socket," which is actually its earliest meaning. The Latin root is orbita, "wheel track, beaten path, course, or orbit."
Vocabulary lists containing orbital
Chemistry - High School
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Chemistry - Middle School
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Katherine Johnson (1918–2020) Tribute List
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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.
In December 2015, SpaceX landed a reusable Falcon 9 rocket from an orbital flight for the first time, followed by Blue Origin's New Glenn in November 2025.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Yet this past week, Son questioned Musk’s plans for orbital data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
The allure of rockets, orbital data centers and Mars colonies has led many investors to completely disregard traditional valuation models when it comes to SpaceX.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
However, Nvidia is hoping that a broader range of AI customers will emerge, with the growth of robotics, orbital data centers, and government-backed AI platforms.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
He realized that the orbital motion results from the tendency of the Moon to move in a straight line, plus a single force pulling it towards the Earth.
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.
