different between orbit vs postorbital

English

Alternative forms

• (eye socket) orbita

Etymology

From Middle English orbite, orbita, from Latin orbita (“course, track, impression, mark”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???.b?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /???.b?t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)b?t

Noun

orbit (countable and uncountable, plural orbits)

1. (astronomy) A circular or elliptical path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, or moon, especially a periodic elliptical revolution.

   Hyponyms: Clarke orbit, graveyard orbit, Hohmann transfer orbit, last photon orbit, Lissajous orbit, low Earth orbit, lunar orbit, Lyapunov orbit, Molniya orbit, osculating orbit, parking orbit, subsynchronous orbit, synchronous orbit

   1. One complete circuit round an orbited body.

   2. (uncountable) The state of moving in an orbit.
   3. (physics) The path of an electron around an atomic nucleus.
   4. (pinball) A path for the ball on the outer edge of the playfield, usually connected so that the ball entering in one end will come out of the other.
2. A sphere of influence; an area or extent of activity, interest, or control.

3. (anatomy) The bony cavity in the skull of a vertebrate containing the eyeball.

   Synonyms: eye socket, cranial orbit

   1. (zoology) The area around the eye of a bird or other animal.
4. (mathematics) A collection of points related by the evolution function of a dynamical system.
5. (geometry, group theory) The subset of elements of a set X to which a given element can be moved by members of a specified group of transformations that act on X.
6. (informal) A state of increased excitement, activity, or anger.

Usage notes

When referring to astronomical orbits, "in orbit" and "on orbit" have somewhat different meanings. In general, a body is said to be "in orbit" if it is in freefall going around another body; while something happens "on orbit" if it occurs aboard an orbiting spacecraft. Thus one might say, "The space capsule is in orbit, and the astronauts inside are performing experiments on orbit."

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

orbit (third-person singular simple present orbits, present participle orbiting, simple past and past participle orbited)

1. (astronomy) To circle or revolve around another object.
   1. To place an object (e.g. a satellite) into an orbit around a planet.

      Synonym: launch

2. To move around the general vicinity of something.

   Synonyms: circumambulate, tag along

3. To move in a circle.
4. (transitive) To center (around).
5. (transitive, dating) To continue to follow and/or engage with someone via social media after breaking up with them.

Antonyms

• deorbit

Translations

References

• “orbit”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• “orbit”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).

See also

• satellite

Anagrams

• tribo-

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [or?bit]

Verb

orbit

1. past participle of orbi

English

Alternative forms

• post-orbital

Etymology

post- +? orbital

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -??(?)b?t?l

Adjective

postorbital (not comparable)

1. Behind the orbit of the eye.

   the postorbital scales of some fishes and reptiles

Noun

postorbital (plural postorbitals)

1. A postorbital bone or scale.

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /posto?bi?tal/, [pos.t?o?.??i?t?al]

Adjective

postorbital (plural postorbitales)

1. postorbital