orbit
noun
the curved path, usually elliptical, taken by a planet, satellite, spaceship, etc., around a celestial body, as the sun.
orbits
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pluralof orbit.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof orbit (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
orbitnounthe curved path, usually elliptical, taken by a planet, satellite, spaceship, etc., around a celestial body, as the sun.
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 team hopes that data from two complete orbits will allow them to determine the star's trajectory with enough precision they can also directly measure the black hole's rotation.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Einstein's theory of general relativity predicted that a spinning black hole would drag spacetime along with it, twisting it in a way that changes the orbits of the surrounding stars.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
As a result, the resonance acts like an escape route from the main asteroid belt, pushing objects into elongated orbits that cross the paths of planets.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
For instance, G 203-47's red dwarf rotates once every 100 or so days, but orbits its white dwarf every 14.9 days, meaning they are not tidally synced.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Having discovered almost by accident that elliptical orbits fit the observations well, he could not reconcile them with his idea that the planets were made to orbit the sun by magnetic forces.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
