great circle route

noun

A route, taken by intercontinental aircraft for instance, which is the shortest distance between two destinations on the surface of the Earth; an arc of a great circle.

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Meanings

noungreat circle route (plural great circle routes)

plural great circle routes

  1. A route, taken by intercontinental aircraft for instance, which is the shortest distance between two destinations on the surface of the Earth; an arc of a great circle.

Translations

Finnish isoympyräreitti
  • isoympyräreittiarc of a great circle
Polish ortodroma
  • ortodromaarc of a great circle
Cite this entry
APA

great circle route. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/great%20circle%20route

MLA

“great circle route.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/great%20circle%20route. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “great circle route,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/great%20circle%20route.

Source: great circle route on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.