Where does “orbit” come from?

Orbit comes from Latin orbita, the feminine form of orbis, meaning a circular track or path.

orbit (English): A circular or elliptical path of one object...

Definitions

  1. A circular or elliptical path of one object...

Ancestry of “orbit”, step by step

orbit traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Romanian orbi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Romanianorbito blind, deprive of sight; to go blind, lose...
2Romanianorbblind; blind man
3Latinorbusbereaved, bereft, deprived by death; deprived,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃órbʰosorphan; servant, slave, worker
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃erbʰ-to change allegiance, status, ownership;...

via Latin orbita

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinorbitaA track or rut made by a wheel; A path, track; A...
2LatinOrbiscircle, ring

Words derived from “orbit”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃erbʰ- →