Standard Lemma guide

rotary

adj · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɹəʊ.tə.ɹi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈɹoʊ.tə.ɹi/
  • CMU ARPABET: R OW1 T ER0 IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Capable of rotation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • A rotary engine revolves the heads rather than having pistons go back and forth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A roundabout, traffic circle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Atlantic-Canada, New-England

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any of the clubs making up the international Rotary International movement for community service.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

relating to or characterized by rotation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • rotary dial

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

describing a circle; moving in a circle

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the circular motion of the wheel

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circular, orbitual

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

electrical converter consisting of a synchronous machine that converts alternating to direct current or vice versa

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: synchronous converter, rotary converter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: electrical converter

7

noun

Meaning 7

a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the accident blocked all traffic at the rotary

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: traffic circle, circle, roundabout

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: junction

History

Etymology

Attested mid 18th century, from Medieval Latin rotarius, from Latin rota (“wheel”).

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: въртящ се (vǎrtjašt se) — capable of rotation
  • Bulgarian: ротационен (rotacionen) — capable of rotation
  • Czech: otáčivý — capable of rotation
  • Czech: otočný — capable of rotation
  • Czech: rotační — capable of rotation
  • Finnish: pyörivä — capable of rotation
  • French: rotatif — capable of rotation
  • German: rotierbar — capable of rotation
  • German: rotierend — capable of rotation
  • Romanian: rotativ — capable of rotation
  • Romanian: rotatoriu — capable of rotation
  • Spanish: rotatorio — capable of rotation
  • Spanish: rotativo — capable of rotation
  • Spanish: giratorio — capable of rotation
  • Spanish: girante — capable of rotation
  • Spanish: rotador — capable of rotation
  • Finnish: rotariklubi — club in Rotary movement
Real reading context

rotary in complete knowledge articles

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