orbit English · revision 10439

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1392|origins=la-med orbita|origins=la orbita}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɔː.bɪt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɔɹ.bɪt/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from Medieval Latin orbita and Old French orbite,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from Latin orbita, a wheel track, beaten path, rut, course,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) the feminine of orbitus, circular, from orbis, a ring, wheel (see [[orb]]).^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The eye socket: 1392 in Barnhart, about 1400 in the OED, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The astronomical sense, the path of a planet or comet, was classical Latin, revived in Gerard of Cremona's translation of Avicenna,^(Etymonline) and was borrowed into English in 1696.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) The figurative sense, a sphere of activity or influence, is in Sterne's ''Tristram Shandy'' (1759).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) The path of an electron around the nucleus is from 1891,^(Barnhart 1988) and of an artificial earth satellite from 1951.^(Barnhart 1988) The state of being in orbit, ''into orbit'', is from 1958.^(OED 1989) The verb, to travel round in an orbit, is from 1946 in Barnhart (by 1867 in Etymonline).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''Orbital'' is from 1541.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1392 – the eye socket.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1696 – a planet's orbit.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1759 – a sphere of influence.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1891 – an electron's orbit.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1946 – to orbit (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1951 – a satellite's orbit.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The curved path of a planet, moon or artificial satellite around another body.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # One complete revolution of such a body.^(AHD)

+ # A range of activity or influence: ''within his orbit''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(anatomy)'' The eye socket.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To revolve around a body in an orbit.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To put into orbit.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[orbital]]

+ * [[orbitary]]

+ * [[orbiter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[orb]]

+ * [[exorbitant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}