or·bit·al
ˈȯr-bə-tᵊl 
1
: of, relating to, or forming an orbit (such as the orbit of a moon, planet, or spacecraft)
the orbital path of a satellite
The Gregorian calendar is purely based on the position of the sun as seen from Earth, and is closely related to the Earth's orbital period.—
Martin George
Martin GeorgeIn October 1957, a whirling orbital ball known as Sputnik roused Americans from their slumber and set into motion a rethinking of our educational system.—Sam Wineburg
Sam WineburgBlue Origin is also developing a crew capsule that might carry passengers by year's end. But that capsule is intended for brief up-and-down hops, not orbital flights, by tourists.—Marcia Dunn
Marcia Dunn2
chiefly British, of a roadway
: following a circular path around an urban area
The 117-mile orbital motorway encircles London and links to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.—Paul Harper
Paul Harper
: of, relating to, or located near the orbit of the eye
orbital bones
He required 23 stitches to his face and had an orbital fracture below his left eye.—Rachel Rosenbaum
Rachel Rosenbaum
plural orbitals
physics
: a mathematically described region around a nucleus in an atom or molecule that may contain zero, one, or two electrons
Electrons arrange themselves in cloudlike regions around the nucleus called orbitals. These orbitals are designated by numbers for their energy level and letters (s, p, d, f) for their shape.—Beth Mole
Beth MoleExamples of orbital in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
Hague and Gorbunov, along with Starliner astronauts Wilmore and Williams, are spending their orbital stay conducting science experiments and performing station maintenance.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
Julia Reinstein, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2024
Each shell ostensibly represents a specific distance from the nucleus, although the actual path of an electron’s orbit in that shell (called an orbital) is often far from a simple circle and can look more like a dumbbell, doughnut, teardrop, or other configuration.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
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Adjective
Following the brutal attack, it has been revealed that The Nightmare has suffered a fractured right orbital socket, which will put Ripley out of action for an undisclosed amount of time.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
Hague and Gorbunov, along with Starliner astronauts Wilmore and Williams, are spending their orbital stay conducting science experiments and performing station maintenance.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
The teen's lawyer said he was treated for injuries, including a broken orbital.
—Julia Reinstein, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2024
Each shell ostensibly represents a specific distance from the nucleus, although the actual path of an electron’s orbit in that shell (called an orbital) is often far from a simple circle and can look more like a dumbbell, doughnut, teardrop, or other configuration.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for orbital
Dictionary Entries Near orbital
Cite this Entry
“Orbital.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orbital. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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orbital
noun
or·bit·al
ˈȯr-bət-ᵊl
: a subdivision of a nuclear shell containing zero, one, or two electrons
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