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Glite Dictionary
to orbit the Earth

to orbit the Earth

15 4.3
Move in a curved path around Earth like a satellite or spacecraft
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈɔrbɪt ði ɜrθ/
  • Specialized
: orbitar la Tierra
  • Because the satellite is orbiting the Earth, that means it's farther away from the Earth than your car.

So I don't, I don't know what's true, but I mean, we have satellites orbiting the Earth.

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Examples

  • Now, Suomi NPP has orbited the Earth more than 5,000 times and begun returning images and data that provide critical weather and climate measurements of the complex Earth system.

    Blog text (5)

  • We're orbiting the Earth at what speed now?

    Hidden Figures (2016)

  • Colonel John Glenn will be the first American to orbit the Earth.

    Hidden Figures (2016)

  • Gagarin was the first human in outer space and the first to orbit the Earth.

    Blog text (9)

  • There are 30,000 satellites orbiting the Earth at this moment.

    xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)

  • During his time in space, Dennis Tito orbited the Earth a total of 128 times.

    Blog text (26)

  • The satellite will orbit the Earth every 90 minutes, providing continuous data.

  • Astronauts aboard the spacecraft will orbit the Earth for ten days during their mission.

  • In the documentary, they explained how the International Space Station orbits the Earth at a high speed.

Synonyms

to circle
vsto orbit the Earth
217 1.8

To move around something in a circle

is specific to moving around this planet rather than general circling
to orbit
vsto orbit the Earth
  • Specialized
107 3.9

To move in a curved path around a planet or star

is limited to movement around this planet, usually by satellites or spacecraft
to revolve
vsto orbit the Earth
30 3.4

To move in a circle around a central point

describes movement specifically around this planet, not just any axis
to orbed
vsto orbit the Earth
  • Archaic
1 9.1

Move around another object in a curved path

focuses specifically on movement around this planet rather than any object

How Far

interstellar
  • Specialized
43 7.2
space travel
27 3.7
to orbit the Earth
  • Specialized
15 4.3
suborbital
  • Specialized
3 8.2

Surface Forms

orbit the Earth infinitive
orbited the Earth past
orbited the Earth past participle
orbiting the Earth present participle
orbits the Earth third person singular

Morphology

orbit + the + Earth

The meaning is compositional: 'orbit' means to move or revolve around another body and 'the Earth' names the planet, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the full meaning. This is a literal, cross-linguistically common concept of orbital motion, making the expression immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Orbit the Earth comes from the image of a spacecraft or satellite moving in a circle around the planet. To orbit something means to go around the Earth, so the phrase means 'to move around the Earth'.