Word
eccentricity
Phoneticsec·cen·tric·i·ty, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɛksənˈtɹɪsəti/
UK/ˌɛksɪntɹˈɪsɪti/
Definition
n. the shape of an orbit that is not a perfect circle. It measures how much an object's path around another is stretched out.
n. a measure of the deviation of an orbit from a perfect circle. In astronomy, it is defined as the ratio of the distance between the foci of the ellipse to the length of its major axis.
Examples
“The planet has a high eccentricity, so its orbit is very oval.”
“Astronomers use the eccentricity of a comet's orbit to predict how close it will come to the sun during its next visit.”
“While most planets in the solar system have nearly circular orbits with low eccentricity, the highly elliptical path of Halley's Comet is a classic example of significant orbital eccentricity.”
Examples
simple
“The planet has a high eccentricity, so its orbit is very oval.”
contextual
“Astronomers use the eccentricity of a comet's orbit to predict how close it will come to the sun during its next visit.”
complex
“While most planets in the solar system have nearly circular orbits with low eccentricity, the highly elliptical path of Halley's Comet is a classic example of significant orbital eccentricity.”
Real-World Examples
“They are filled with a lot of love and tolerance, that ‘isn’t it wonderful how very different we all are?’
“Moomin celebrates that, enjoying eccentricity and going with the flow of life.” “A circle has an eccentricity of zero, while any value over one means that an object isn’t orbiting, but rather taking a one-way trip around a gravitational attractor.” Etymology
From eccentric + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/eccentricity