Oxford Dictionary English

    orbit

    noun
    noun
    BrE BrE//ˈɔːbɪt//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈɔːrbɪt//
    The Earth and the atmosphere, Space travel, The universe
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  1. 1 [countable, uncountable] a curved path followed by a planet or an object as it moves around another planet, star, moon, etc. the earth’s orbit around the sun a space station in orbit round the moon A new satellite has been put into orbit around the earth. Wordfinderspaceastronaut, countdown, dock, launch, mission, orbit, rocket, satellite, space, weightless Wordfinderuniverseasteroid, astronomy, comet, constellation, cosmic, galaxy, meteorite, orbit, space, the universe Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecircular, elliptical, eccentric, … verb + orbitenter, go into, reach, … prepositionin orbit, orbit around, orbit round, … See full entry See related entries: The Earth and the atmosphere, Space travel, The universe
  2. 2[singular] an area that a particular person, organization, etc. deals with or is able to influence to come/fall/be within somebody’s orbit
    3.  Word Originmid 16th cent. (referring to the eye socket): from Latin orbita ‘course, track’ (in medieval Latin ‘eye socket’), feminine of orbitus ‘circular’, from orbis ‘ring’.Extra examples The satellite will remain in orbit for several years. The spaceship made an orbit of the moon. the moon’s orbit around the earth He spent eleven months in orbit. Mercury follows an elliptical orbit. The satellite went into orbit last month. The satellite will be placed in orbit over the Pacific. There are slight changes in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
See orbit in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishSee orbit in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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