What does "orrery" mean?
A clockwork model of any given solar system.
Orrery
/ˈɔɹ.ə.ɹi/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A clockwork model of any given solar system.
- Grammar: orrery is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: observatory, planetarium, reflector, refractor.
- Usage evidence: Orrery is a mechanic model of the Solar System.
How to use "orrery"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "orrery" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "orrery" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "orrery" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "observatory" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A clockwork model of any given solar system.
"In the mean time I have another trouble to give you, if you will oblige me in it; and that is to get me a sight of the famous Orrery, which I have heard you and others so often speak of; and which I think was made by Mr. Rowley, the famous Mathematical Instrument-Maker."
- 2 planetarium consisting of an apparatus that illustrates the relative positions and motions of bodies in the solar system by rotation and revolution of balls moved by wheelwork; sometimes incorporated in a clock wordnet
- 3 A conceptual model of someone's worldview. figuratively
"This book is the result of fourteen thousand miles in the saddle and four years in the library. It describes the lives of the inhabitants of France – wherever possible, through their own eyes – and the exploration and colonization of their land by foreigners and natives, from the late seventeenth century to the early twentieth. It follows a roughly chronological route, from the end of the reign of Louis XIV to the outbreak of the First World War, with occasional detours through pre-Roman Gaul and present-day France. Part One describes the populations of France, their languages, beliefs and daily lives, their travels and discoveries, and the other creatures with whom they shared the land. In Part Two, the land is mapped, colonized by rulers and tourists, refashioned politically and physically, and turned into a modern state. The difference between the two parts, broadly speaking, is the difference between ethnology and history: the world that was always the same and the world that was always changing. I have tried to give a sense of the orrery of disparate, concurrent spheres, to show a land in which mule trains coincided with railway trains, and where witches and explorers were still gainfully employed when Gustave Eiffel was changing the skyline of Paris."
Example
"Orrery is a mechanic model of the Solar System."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "orrery"?
Common synonyms include: observatory, planetarium, reflector, refractor, spectrograph, spectroscope.
How do you use "orrery" in a sentence?
Orrery is a mechanic model of the Solar System.
How do you pronounce "orrery"?
Pronounced /ˈɔɹ.ə.ɹi/.
Etymology
Named after Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery (1676–1731), for whom such a device was made. The placename is from Irish Orbhraighe, originally the name of a tribe (Orbh-raighe (“Orb's people”)), and then of a territory and a barony.