Rotary means turning or able to turn round a fixed point.
...turning linear into rotary motion.
...heavy-duty rotary blades.
Synonyms: revolving, turning, spinning, rotating More Synonyms of rotary
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Rotary is used in the names of some machines that have parts that turn round a fixed point.
...a rotary engine.
rotary in British English
(ˈrəʊtərɪ)
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or operating by rotation
2.
turning or able to turn; revolving
nounWord forms: plural-ries
3.
a part of a machine that rotates about an axis
4. US and Canadian
a roundabout (for traffic)
Word origin
C18: from Medieval Latin rotārius, from Latin rota a wheel
rotary in American English
(ˈroʊtəri)
adjective
1.
turning around a central point or axis, as a wheel; rotating
2.
a.
having a rotating part or parts
b.
having blades that rotate on a hub rather than a reel
a rotary lawn mower
3.
occurring around an axis
rotary motion
nounWord forms: pluralˈrotaries
4.
a rotary machine or engine
5. [R-]
Rotary Club
6. US
traffic circle
Word origin
ML rotarius < L rota, wheel: see roll
Examples of 'rotary' in a sentence
rotary
Large rotary paddles crush the grapes and press out the juice, which flows to a gathering tank.
Arthur, Robert THREE IN ONE (2001)
He was, Selby thought, as good a rotary wing pilot as he had ever seen.
Lunnon-Wood, Mike LET NOT THE DEEP (2001)
In fact, the DiNunzios still had a black rotary phone at home, resting on something that they called a telephone table.
Lisa Scottoline THE VENDETTA DEFENCE (2001)
In other languages
rotary
British English: rotary ADJECTIVE
Rotary means turning or able to turn round a fixed point.
...turning linear into rotary motion.
American English: rotary
Brazilian Portuguese: rotativo
Chinese: 旋转的
European Spanish: rotativo
French: rotatif
German: rotierend
Italian: rotante
Japanese: 回転する
Korean: 회전하는
European Portuguese: rotativo
Latin American Spanish: rotativo
All related terms of 'rotary'
Rotary Club
any of the local clubs that form Rotary International , an international association of professionals and businesspeople founded in the US in 1905 to promote community service
rotary dial
dial (sense 4 )
rotary kiln
a device used to raise materials to a high temperature in a continuous process, esp for making cement
rotary pump
a pump in which a liquid is displaced through a shaped stator by a shaped rotor
rotary rig
A rotary rig is the equipment used for drilling in most wells , which includes an engine and a hoisting , rotating and mud circulating system.
rotary wing
an airfoil that rotates about an approximately vertical axis , as that supporting a helicopter or autogiro in flight
rotary engine
an internal-combustion engine having radial cylinders that rotate about a fixed crankshaft
rotary mower
a lawn mower with a single blade attached in the middle that rotates as the mower is moved
rotary plough
an implement with a series of blades mounted on a power-driven shaft , used to break up soil or weeds
rotary press
a machine for printing from a revolving cylinder , or a plate attached to one, usually onto a continuous strip of paper
rotary table
A rotary table is a revolving part which turns the drill string .
rotary drilling
Rotary drilling is the use of a continuous circular motion of the drill bit to make a hole.
rotary printer
a machine for printing from a revolving cylinder , or a plate attached to one, usually onto a continuous strip of paper
rotary shutter
a camera shutter consisting of a rotating disk pierced with a slit that passes in front of a lens to expose the film or plate
rotary clothesline
an apparatus of radiating spokes that support lines on which clothes are hung to dry
rotary cultivator
a machine for breaking up and tilling soil, consisting of a series of blades mounted on a revolving power-driven shaft
rotary lawnmower
a lawn mower with a single blade attached in the middle that rotates as the mower is moved
rotary clothes dryer
an apparatus of radiating spokes that support lines on which clothes are hung to dry
rotary printing press
a machine for printing from a revolving cylinder , or a plate attached to one, usually onto a continuous strip of paper
rotary-wing aircraft
an aircraft, esp a helicopter , that is lifted or propelled by rotating airfoils
dial
A dial is the part of a machine or instrument such as a clock or watch which shows you the time or a measurement that has been recorded.