great circle
noun
: a circle formed on the surface of a sphere by the intersection of a plane that passes through the center of the sphere
specifically
: such a circle on the surface of the earth an arc of which connecting two terrestrial points constitutes the shortest distance on the earth's surface between them
Examples of great circle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since this cluster lies 4 degrees north of the ecliptic — that great circle on the celestial sphere representing the sun's apparent path during the year — it can be occulted only when the ascending node of the moon's orbit is in the Pisces-to-Sagittarius part of the ecliptic.
—
Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
The currents created by this great circle, as well as the temperature differences between water layers, result in an effective mechanism for getting heat and carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and into the deep ocean via downwelling currents.
—Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ars Technica, 21 June 2023
Scientists say there are great circle routes around the moon that avoid changing elevation, for example.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 29 Dec. 2021
On a hyperbolic surface, some geodesics are infinitely long, like straight lines in the plane, but others close up into a loop, like the great circles on a sphere.
—Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2014
Initially, the researchers tried to brute force the answer by examining every possible great circle on the planet.
—David Shultz, Science | AAAS, 30 Apr. 2018
Its memorial, at Lands End, stands on the great circle route from San Francisco to Guadalcanal.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 June 2018
All straight-line paths along a sphere form a shape called a great circle.
—David Shultz, Science | AAAS, 30 Apr. 2018
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Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
The currents created by this great circle, as well as the temperature differences between water layers, result in an effective mechanism for getting heat and carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and into the deep ocean via downwelling currents.
—Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ars Technica, 21 June 2023
Scientists say there are great circle routes around the moon that avoid changing elevation, for example.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 29 Dec. 2021
On a hyperbolic surface, some geodesics are infinitely long, like straight lines in the plane, but others close up into a loop, like the great circles on a sphere.
—Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2014
Initially, the researchers tried to brute force the answer by examining every possible great circle on the planet.
—David Shultz, Science | AAAS, 30 Apr. 2018
Its memorial, at Lands End, stands on the great circle route from San Francisco to Guadalcanal.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 June 2018
All straight-line paths along a sphere form a shape called a great circle.
—David Shultz, Science | AAAS, 30 Apr. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Great circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20circle. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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