/ English Dictionary

GREAT CIRCLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A circular line on the surface of a sphere formed by intersecting it with a plane passing through the center

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("great circle" is a kind of...):

line (a spatial location defined by a real or imaginary unidimensional extent)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "great circle"):

celestial equator; equinoctial; equinoctial circle; equinoctial line (the great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the celestial poles)

ecliptic (the great circle representing the apparent annual path of the sun; the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun; makes an angle of about 23 degrees with the equator)

equator (an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles)

celestial horizon; horizon (the great circle on the celestial sphere whose plane passes through the sensible horizon and the center of the Earth)

hour circle (a great circle on the celestial sphere that passes through both celestial poles)

line of longitude; meridian (an imaginary great circle on the surface of the earth passing through the north and south poles at right angles to the equator)

vertical circle (a great circle on the celestial sphere passing through the zenith and perpendicular to the horizon)

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