Word
rotate
Phoneticsro·tate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹoʊˌteɪt/
UK/ɹəʊtˈeɪt/
Definitions
01to turn in a circle
B1 · Intermediate
v. to turn or spin around a central point.
v. to turn or cause to turn around an axis or center point.
日本語:回転する※
Español:girar
“The earth rotates once every twenty-four hours.”
“The mechanic demonstrated how the cooling fan rotates at high speeds to prevent the engine from overheating during long journeys.”
Usage
Can be used with or without a direct object.
02to take turns
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to change people or things in a regular order so that everyone or everything has a turn.
v. to move or pass through a cycle of changes; to perform a task in a recurring sequence.
日本語:交代する※
“The teachers rotate the duty of watching the playground during lunch.”
“The hospital staff rotate shifts every month to ensure that no single team is permanently assigned to the grueling overnight hours.”
Usage
Often used with a direct object like 'shifts', 'crops', or 'roles'.
03to use older stock first
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to move older items to the front of a shelf so they are used before newer ones.
v. to manage inventory by moving older materials to the point of use before newer stock.
“Supermarket workers rotate the milk cartons so the oldest ones sell first.”
“Effective inventory management requires staff to rotate stock diligently, minimizing waste by ensuring products reach the consumer before their expiration dates.”
Synonyms
04to lift the nose of a plane
C2 · Proficiency Technical
v. to pull the nose of an airplane up just before it leaves the ground.
v. to transition an aircraft from a ground roll to a climbing attitude by increasing the pitch.
“The pilot began to rotate as the plane reached the necessary speed.”
“Upon reaching the calculated takeoff safety speed, the captain began to rotate the aircraft, smoothly lifting the nose wheel off the tarmac.”
Synonyms
05wheel-shaped
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical · Formal
adj. having a shape like a wheel with parts spreading out from the center.
adj. having a wheel-like shape; specifically used in botany to describe a flat, circular corolla.
“The flower has a rotate shape with petals spreading out like spokes.”
“The botanist identified the specimen by its rotate corolla, noting the way the petals radiated symmetrically from the central axis.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “rotate” in context.
Verb
01. rotate and tilt the screen
“The new monitor allows you to rotate and tilt the screen to find the perfect viewing angle.”
verb + and + verb
02. rotate the crops every year
“Farmers rotate the crops every year to maintain the nutrient levels in the soil.”
verb + noun + adv
03. rotate the staff across departments
“The manager decided to rotate the staff across departments to improve their overall skill set.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adverb
04. rotate clockwise
“The dancers were instructed to rotate clockwise around the center of the stage.”
verb + adv
05. rotate freely on the axis
“The mechanism is designed so that the wheel can rotate freely on the axis without friction.”
verb + adv + prep + noun
06. slowly rotate the dial
“You need to slowly rotate the dial until you hear a faint clicking sound.”
adv + verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) is a small propeller which can rotate in the airstream to provide electricity and hydraulic pressure when other systems in the plane fail.” “But the seat is low relative to the pedals, and it’s so wide that there’s no way to rotate your legs without your thighs slamming into it.” “Twistronics explores how rotating one layer of a two-dimensional (2D) material relative to another can change the material's electronic behavior.” “A circumplanetary disk is the rotating collection of material around a young planet from which moons can form.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin rotātus, perfect passive participle of rotō (“revolve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from rota (“wheel”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/rotate
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0