orbiter

O1R1B3I1T1E1R1

noun

An object that orbits another, especially a spacecraft that orbits a planet etc. without landing on it.

Less commonScrabble 9

Meanings

nounorbiter (plural orbiters)

plural orbiters

  1. An object that orbits another, especially a spacecraft that orbits a planet etc. without landing on it.

    One day after the Hope maneuver, a Chinese spacecraft, Tianwen-1, is to also enter orbit around Mars. The Chinese mission is carrying a lander and a rover to explore a large impact basin called Utopia Planitia, but those are not to detach from the orbiter and head to the surface until May.

    2021 February 9, Kenneth Chang, “Mars Mission From the U.A.E. Begins Orbit of Red Planet”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
  2. derogatoryslanglifestyleA person who constantly hangs around with someone they are attracted to, but too shy to talk to.

    The orbiters in her life in high likelihood like to talk about this and make themselves her emotional tampon and outlet.

    2015, Jack N. Raven, Penetration: A Tactical Manual on Forming Deep Emotional Connections!

Synonyms & antonyms

nounman-made equipment that orbits around the earth or the moon

Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₃erbʰ-
  2. Latinorbita
  3. Middle Englishorbita
  4. Middle Englishorbite
  5. Englishorbit
  6. Englishorbiter

From orbit + -er.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kiertolainen
  • kiertolainenan object that orbits another
German Umkreiser
  • Umkreiseran object that orbits another
Polish orbiter
  • orbiteran object that orbits another
Cite this entry
APA

orbiter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orbiter

MLA

“orbiter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orbiter. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “orbiter,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orbiter.

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