Moving in a circular or elliptical path around something, especially in space around a planet or star.
From Latin 'orbita' (track or path), originally meaning 'wheel track' from 'orbis' (circle or wheel). The astronomical meaning emerged with Copernican astronomy in the 1500s-1600s, replacing older theological models of the universe.
When Sputnik began orbiting Earth in 1957, it fundamentally changed the meaning of the word — 'orbiting' shifted from abstract mathematical description to visceral reality, and that same year the word appeared in newspapers over 10,000 times, showing how a single technological event can give new emotional weight to an old scientific term.
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