rotatory

[ roh-tuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or of the nature of rotation:

   rotatory motion.

2. rotating, rotate, as an object.
3. passing or following in rotation or succession.
4. causing rotation, as a muscle.

rotatory

/ ˈrəʊtətərɪ; -trɪ; ˈrəʊtətɪv /

adjective

1. of, relating to, possessing, or causing rotation

Derived Forms

• ˈrotatively, adverb

Other Words From

• un·rota·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rotatory¹

1745–55; < New Latin rotātōrius, equivalent to Latin rotā ( re ) ( rotate ¹ ) + -tōrius -tory ¹

Example Sentences

I fasten a horizontal board in the frame RR of my rotatory apparatus, lie down upon the same with my right ear upon the board, and cause the apparatus to be uniformly rotated.

From Project Gutenberg

Screw and Screw-back.—This is putting a rotatory motion on a ball, causing it to spin on a horizontal axis backwards.

From Project Gutenberg

Campbell and Moore have found spectroscopic evidence of internal rotatory motion in a large proportion of the planetary nebul�.

From Project Gutenberg

They exhibit rotatory or oscillatory movements, especially observed when a drop of water is added to the fluid.

From Project Gutenberg

The earth’s rotation is the original source of the rotatory movements, but both intensify the initial motion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• whirling