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单词 epicycle
释义

Definition of epicycle in English:

epicycle

noun ˈɛpɪˌsʌɪk(ə)lˈɛpəˌsaɪk(ə)l
Geometry
  • 1A small circle whose centre moves round the circumference of a larger one.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • Other threads appeared out of nowhere, forming, with epicycles and Celtic knotting, a mesh bag that pulled him irresistibly toward the bleak globe that was the Inquisitor.
    • The historically older concept of epicycles (small cycles on a bigger cycle) has not found use in the geological literature.
    • Waves come in like epicycles rippling through the larger cycles of tides, and the moon's revolution around the Earth, and the Earth's revolution around the sun.
    1. 1.1historical An epicycle used to describe planetary orbits in the Ptolemaic system.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • A planet moves uniformly on a circle called an epicycle, and the epicycle in turn moves uniformly on a circle called the deferent.
      • Although orbits were discussed by the Greeks they were attempting to derive orbits for the planets round the Earth so are of little interest to us in this article although the method of epicycles is an early application of Fourier series.
      • For example, each planet was said to move in its own small curve called an epicycle, while all the epicycles moved around the earth in larger circles called deferents.
      • In the epicycle theory the Earth is in the centre of a circle which has smaller circles rotating round its circumference.
      • This is not strictly true since the theory of epicycles certainly predates Apollonius.

Derivatives

  • epicyclic

  • adjective ɛpɪˌˈsɪklɪkɛpɪˌˈsʌɪklɪk
    Geometry
    • The key to the technology lies in the combination of a patented epicyclic traction transmission and electric gear ratio control.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • Aristotelian cosmology survived unaltered by Ptolemaic astronomy, despite its eccentric planetary orbits and the epicyclic motions which already strained the original simple notion of uniform circular motion around the earth.
      • It is based on the epicyclic and eccentric models of planetary motion.
      • The epicyclic character of the theory, piling ad-hoc hypothesis upon hypothesis, its incompleteness and the appearance of a singularity in the big bang universe beginning require consideration of alternatives.
      • Collectively Kepler's Laws superseded the ancient Ptolemaic concept of a spherical universe with epicyclic motion.

Origin

Late Middle English: from Old French, or via late Latin from Greek epikuklos, from epi 'upon' + kuklos 'circle'.

 
 

Definition of epicycle in US English:

epicycle

nounˈepəˌsīk(ə)lˈɛpəˌsaɪk(ə)l
Geometry
  • 1A small circle whose center moves around the circumference of a larger one.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • Other threads appeared out of nowhere, forming, with epicycles and Celtic knotting, a mesh bag that pulled him irresistibly toward the bleak globe that was the Inquisitor.
    • Waves come in like epicycles rippling through the larger cycles of tides, and the moon's revolution around the Earth, and the Earth's revolution around the sun.
    • The historically older concept of epicycles (small cycles on a bigger cycle) has not found use in the geological literature.
    1. 1.1historical An epicycle used to describe planetary orbits in the Ptolemaic system.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • In the epicycle theory the Earth is in the centre of a circle which has smaller circles rotating round its circumference.
      • This is not strictly true since the theory of epicycles certainly predates Apollonius.
      • A planet moves uniformly on a circle called an epicycle, and the epicycle in turn moves uniformly on a circle called the deferent.
      • Although orbits were discussed by the Greeks they were attempting to derive orbits for the planets round the Earth so are of little interest to us in this article although the method of epicycles is an early application of Fourier series.
      • For example, each planet was said to move in its own small curve called an epicycle, while all the epicycles moved around the earth in larger circles called deferents.

Origin

Late Middle English: from Old French, or via late Latin from Greek epikuklos, from epi ‘upon’ + kuklos ‘circle’.

 
 
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更新时间:2024/12/24 11:16:31