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Meaning & use

rotation

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/rəʊˈteɪʃn/
US/roʊˈteɪʃn/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountablephysics

    The movement of an object in a circle around its own center or a fixed line.

    Grammar: Often used with of: the rotation of the Earth.

    Patterns

    • the rotation of something
    • rotation around something

    The rotation of the Earth gives us day and night.

    A single rotation of the wheel moves the cart a meter.

    The camera allows a full rotation of the lens.

  2. nouncountable or uncountable

    A system in which people or things take turns doing a job or filling a place in a regular order.

    Grammar: Often used with in or on: work in rotation.

    Patterns

    • in rotation
    • on a rotation

    The nurses work in rotation, so each does a night shift.

    Chores are done on a weekly rotation.

    The coach used a rotation of five pitchers.

  3. noununcountablespecialist

    The practice of growing different crops in a field in a planned order from year to year to keep soil healthy.

    Grammar: Often crop rotation.

    Patterns

    • crop rotation

    Crop rotation helps prevent disease in the soil.

    The farmer follows a four-year rotation.

    Rotation of beans and wheat restores nitrogen.

Word forms

pluralrotations

Common combinations

crop rotation
Crop rotation improves yields.
the Earth's rotation
The Earth's rotation takes about 24 hours.
in rotation
They drive in rotation on long trips.
a full rotation
The wheel made a full rotation.
a rotation of duties
A rotation of duties keeps the job fair.

Synonyms and how they differ

spin
Spin is less technical and usually means fast turning.
revolution
Revolution in science means orbiting another body, while rotation turns on its own axis.
turn
Turn is general and can mean a partial movement, not a full rotation.
cycle
Cycle emphasizes repeating a series, with no sense of turning around a center.

Word family

rotate verb
to turn around a center, or take turns
rotational adjective
relating to rotation
rotary adjective
turning around a center
rotator noun
something that rotates

Commonly confused: rotation or revolution?

rotation vs revolution

Revolution means going around another object, as the Earth does around the Sun; rotation is spinning on its own axis.

Practice

The Earth completes one ___ on its axis roughly every 24 hours.

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