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Feb 9, 2010
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or•bit



Pronunciation: (ôr'bit), [key]
—n.
1. the curved path, usually elliptical, described by a planet, satellite, spaceship, etc., around a celestial body, as the sun.
2. the usual course of one's life or range of one's activities.
3. the sphere of power or influence, as of a nation or person: a small nation in the Russian orbit.
4. Physics.(in Bohr theory) the path traced by an electron revolving around the nucleus of an atom.
5. an orb or sphere.
6. Anat.
a. the bony cavity of the skull that contains the eye; eye socket.
b. the eye.
7. Zool.the part surrounding the eye of a bird or insect.

—v.t.
1. to move or travel around in an orbital or elliptical path: The earth orbits the sun once every 365.25 days.
2. to send into orbit, as a satellite.

—v.i.
to go or travel in an orbit.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

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