geocentric

adjective

geo·​cen·​tric ˌjē-ō-ˈsen-trik How to pronounce geocentric (audio)
1
a
: relating to, measured from, or as if observed from the earth's center compare topocentric
b
: having or relating to the earth as center compare heliocentric
2
: taking or based on the earth as the center of perspective and valuation
geocentrically adverb

Examples of geocentric in a Sentence

the old geocentric theory that the Sun goes round the Earth
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Science prides itself on being self-correcting; wrong theories are eventually made right, as in the old notion of a geocentric universe giving way to the modern view. Sidney Perkowitz, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2024 The issue is that cities have been preparing for projections of geocentric sea-level rise, for instance with sea walls. Matt Simon, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 The Ptolemaic geocentric system seemed obvious, and was accepted on the basis of consensus, despite being erroneous. Olga Tokarczuk, Harper's Magazine, 6 Jan. 2023 But Ptolemy’s geocentric model worked. John Horgan, Scientific American, 7 Jan. 2021 Lucretius’ only known work, On the Nature of Things, is remarkable for its foreshadowing of Darwinism, humans as higher primates, the study of atoms and the scientific method — all contemplated in a geocentric world ruled by eccentric gods. Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022 The geocentric description of Ptolemy worked better than any other model at detailing the motions of the heavenly bodies, and no model would do better until Kepler postulated elliptical orbits in the 17th century. Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 16 June 2021 To accord with their geocentric theories, ancient astronomers theorized that the planets moved in complicated ways, sometimes enacting a sort of loop-de-loop to end up in the spots that ancient astronomers observed, reports Vice. Nora McGreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Mar. 2021 Unfortunately, the geocentric predictions were more accurate — with fewer and smaller observational discrepancies — than the heliocentric model. Ethan Siegel, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of geocentric was in 1686

Dictionary Entries Near geocentric

Cite this Entry

“Geocentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geocentric. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

geocentric

adjective
geo·​cen·​tric ˌjē-ō-ˈsen-trik How to pronounce geocentric (audio)
1
: relating to or measured from the earth's center
2
: having or relating to the earth as a center

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