heliocentrism

H4E1L1I1O1C3E1N1T1R1I1S1M3

noun

The theory that the Sun is the center of the universe.

Opposite
Scrabble 20

Meanings

nounheliocentrism (uncountable)

alternative heliocentricism

  1. uncountableastronomyThe theory that the Sun is the center of the universe.

    It wasn't until the Renaissance that scientists such as Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei showed proof for heliocentrism, or the idea that the planets moved around the sun.

    2019, Elizabeth Howell, “PBS Series Takes Astronomy Buffs Back in Time With ‘Ancient Skies’”, in Space.com
    1 more example

    1923, Felix Adler, "The Reconstruction of the Spiritual Ideal," American Ethical Union, 68. Geocentrism has been displaced by heliocentrism. Heliocentrism, in turn, the claim of the sun, surrounded by its satellites, to a sovereign place in the heavens, has become ridiculous in the face of the wilderness of suns that people the abysses beyond us.

    Synonyms: heliocentricity · Antonyms: geocentrism

  2. informaluncountableThe phenomenon of the Earth revolving around the Sun.

    Heliocentrism is not yet universally known or accepted. In a 1999 poll, 18 of Americans said that the sun revolves around the Earth, while 79 percent said Earth revolves around the sun.

    2014, Rebecca Stefoff, chapter 4, in Andrew Coddington, Cynthia Roby, Peter Mavrikis, editors, The Sun and the Earth, 1st edition, New York: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC, →ISBN, page 34
    1 more example

    You would think the practitioners of the dismal science of economics would look at their demand curves and the data on incomes and taxes and pronounce a verdict, the way Galileo and Copernicus did when they showed that geocentrism was a fantasy because the Earth revolves around the sun (known as heliocentrism).

    2012, David Cay Johnston, chapter 16, in Dean Starkman, Felix Salmon, Martha M. Hamilton, Ryan Chittum, editors, The Best Business Writing 2012, New York: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 191

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe theory that the Sun is the center of the universe.

Opposite

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἥλῐος“sun”
  2. Englishheliocentrism

Shortened from heliocentricism, from heliocentric + -ism, from Ancient Greek ἥλῐος (hḗlĭos, “sun”) + κέντρον (kéntron, “centre”), equivalent to helio- + -centrism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans heliosentrisme
  • heliosentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Basque heliozentrismo
  • heliozentrismothe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Bulgarian хелиоцентри́зъм
  • хелиоцентри́зъм (heliocentrízăm)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Catalan heliocentrisme
  • heliocentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Chinese Mandarin 日心說 /日心说
  • 日心說 /日心说 (rìxīnshuō)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Czech heliocentrismus
  • heliocentrismusthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Danish heliocentrisme
  • heliocentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Dutch heliocentrisme
  • heliocentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Esperanto heliocentrismo
  • heliocentrismothe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Estonian heliotsentrism
  • heliotsentrismthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Finnish aurinkokeskisyys, heliosentrismi
  • aurinkokeskisyysthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
  • heliosentrismithe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
French héliocentrisme
  • héliocentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
German Heliozentrismus
  • Heliozentrismusthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Greek ηλιοκεντρισμός
  • ηλιοκεντρισμός (iliokentrismós)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Hungarian heliocentrizmus
  • heliocentrizmusthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Indonesian heliosentrisme
  • heliosentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Italian eliocentrismo
  • eliocentrismothe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Japanese 地動説, 太陽中心説
  • 地動説 (chidō-setsu)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
  • 太陽中心説 (Taiyō chūshinsetsu)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Latin heliocentrismus
  • heliocentrismusthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Latvian heliocentrisms
  • heliocentrismsthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Lithuanian heliocentrizmas
  • heliocentrizmasthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Norwegian Bokmål heliosentrisme
  • heliosentrismethe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Polish heliocentryzm
  • heliocentryzmthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Portuguese heliocentrismo
  • heliocentrismothe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Romanian heliocentrism, хелиочентрисм
  • heliocentrismthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
  • хелиочентрисм (heliocentrism)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Russian гелиоцентри́зм
  • гелиоцентри́зм (geliocentrízm)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Slovak heliocentrizmus
  • heliocentrizmusthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Spanish heliocentrismo
  • heliocentrismothe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Swedish heliocentrism
  • heliocentrismthe theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Ukrainian геліоцентри́зм
  • геліоцентри́зм (heliocentrýzm)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Yiddish העליאָצענטריזם
  • העליאָצענטריזם (helyotsentrizm)the theory that the sun is the center of the universe
Cite this entry
APA

heliocentrism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heliocentrism

MLA

“heliocentrism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heliocentrism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heliocentrism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heliocentrism.

Source: heliocentrism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.