rotary

1 of 2

adjective

ro·​ta·​ry ˈrō-tə-rē How to pronounce rotary (audio)
1
a
: turning on an axis like a wheel
b
: taking place about an axis
rotary motion
2
: having an important part that turns on an axis
rotary cutter
3
: characterized by rotation
4
: of, relating to, or being a press in which paper is printed by rotation in contact with a curved printing surface attached to a cylinder

rotary

2 of 2

noun

plural rotaries
1
: a rotary machine
2
: a road junction formed around a central circle about which traffic moves in one direction only

called also circle, traffic circle

Examples of rotary in a Sentence

Adjective the rotary action of the wheel
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The larger Stream Deck Studio features 32 LCD keys arranged in two rows, plus a pair of rotary dials, and at 19 inches long, it’s designed to be mounted in a universal studio rack alongside other broadcast gear. Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 12 Sep. 2024 Philips pioneered rotary electric razor, the Philishave, in 1939, and invented CDs in partnership with Sony Philips thrived for decades as a sprawling conglomerate, but the model started to fail in 2011. Byphil Wahba, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
These are seen on the drive mode rotary dial and other roller controls, as well as the gear selector. Karl Brauer, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 Consider joining or getting more heavily involved in an organization – rotary, garden club, biker gang, whatever suits your fancy. R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rotary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rotary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Medieval Latin rotarius, from Latin rota wheel

First Known Use

Adjective

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rotary was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near rotary

Cite this Entry

“Rotary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotary. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rotary

1 of 2 adjective
ro·​ta·​ry ˈrōt-ə-rē How to pronounce rotary (audio)
1
a
: turning on an axis like a wheel
a rotary blade
b
: taking place about an axis
rotary motion
2
: having a rotating part
a rotary lawn mower

rotary

2 of 2 noun
plural rotaries
1
: a rotary machine
2
: a road junction formed around a central circle about which traffic moves in one direction only
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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