suborbital

[ suhb-awr-bi-tl ]

/ sʌbˈɔr bɪ tl /

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adjective

(of a spacecraft) not in orbit; not achieving an altitude and velocity resulting in a ballistic trajectory circling the earth at least once.

Anatomy. situated below the orbit of the eye.

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Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of suborbital

First recorded in 1815–25; sub- + orbital

Words nearby suborbital

subnuclear particle, suboccipital, suboceanic, subofficer, suboptimal, suborbital, suborder, subordinal, subordinary, subordinate, subordinate clause

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use suborbital in a sentence

While the rocket launch sector is quickly becoming crowded, the same can’t be said for companies developing suborbital spaceplanes.
Dawn Aerospace conducts five flights of its suborbital spaceplane|Aria Alamalhodaei|August 25, 2021|TechCrunch
Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic flight and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin launch made headlines with their short suborbital jaunts, while the upcoming Inspiration4 mission plans to put an all-civilian crew into orbit for the first time.
How the Inspiration4 Mission Fits Into the Long History of Civilian Space Travel|Olivia B. Waxman|August 9, 2021|Time
Aside from the recent up-and-down suborbital hops by billionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos and their entourages, a host of civilians have flown on space flights before.
The First All-Civilian Team of Astronauts Is Headed to Orbit. Here's What to Know About the Inspiration4 Mission|Alejandro de la Garza|August 4, 2021|Time
Both flights were what is deemed “suborbital,” reaching only the edge of space, but achieved zero-gravity — Bezos was seen on video floating Skittles into the mouths of his fellow passengers.
Going to space for fun? You should be taxed, lawmaker says.|Bryan Pietsch|July 23, 2021|Washington Post

The most important news in space business aren’t Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos’ suborbital joy rides.
The real opportunity in space business is data, not tourism|Tim Fernholz|July 15, 2021|Quartz
In Polypterus there is a subopercle also; the suborbital chain is represented by two small bones.
A Guide to the Study of Fishes, Volume 1 (of 2)|David Starr Jordan
Suborbital, sub-or′bi-tal, adj. situated below the orbit of the eye.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
The dorsal and ventral boundaries of the orbits are respectively formed by the prominent supra-orbital and suborbital ridges.
The Vertebrate Skeleton|Sidney H. Reynolds
In females the dorsum is dull olive-brown; the anterior part of the head is tan, and the suborbital spot is yellowish tan.
A Synopsis of Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Osteocephalus|Linda Trueb
The suborbital spot is pale greenish tan, and the iris is deep reddish brown.
A Synopsis of Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Osteocephalus|Linda Trueb

British Dictionary definitions for suborbital

suborbital

/ (sʌbˈɔːbɪtəl) /

adjective

(of a rocket, missile, etc) having a flight path that is less than one complete orbit of the earth or other celestial body

anatomy situated beneath the orbit of the eye

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012