Epicycle

Quick meaning: Epicycle is a noun meaning (geometry) Any circle whose circumference rolls around that of another circle, thus creating a hypocycloid or epicycloid.

Meaning

(geometry) Any circle whose circumference rolls around that of another circle, thus creating a hypocycloid or epicycloid.

More Meanings

1. (organic chemistry) A ring of atoms joining parts of an already cyclic compound
2. (figuratively) An ad hoc complication added to a model to make it fit the known data
3. (astronomy) A small circle whose centre is on the circumference of a larger circle; in Ptolemaic astronomy it was seen as the basis of revolution of the "seven planets", given a fixed central Earth.

Example Sentences

If two chronicles seemed contradictory, instead of trying to choose between them, a rationalization (epicycle) was devised to cover both.

Is it not [Philosophie], that […] teacheth miserie, famine and sicknesse to laugh? Not by reason of some imaginarie Epicicles, but by naturall and palpable reasons.

Rather than solve the theoretical problem of how to produce a method of political ethics, the contractarian device introduces an unnecessary theoretical epicycle into what is otherwise a coherent account of social justice in particular and political morality in general.

Word Forms

• epicycles

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include equant, deferent, ecliptic, epicycloid, cycle, equator.

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