Epicycles

/ˈɛpɪˌsaɪkəlz/ noun

Definition

Plural of epicycle; multiple circles whose centers move along other circles.

Etymology

Plural form of epicycle, maintaining the same Greek roots 'epi' and 'kyklos'.

Kelly Says

Ptolemy needed up to 80 epicycles stacked on top of each other to make his model match observations—it was so complicated that people finally gave up and accepted that Earth orbits the Sun instead!

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