orbiter
UK: ˈɔːbɪtə | US: ˈɔːrbɪtər
n. a spacecraft or satellite designed to orbit a celestial body
n. an object or vehicle that moves in a circular path around another object
The word "orbiter" combines "orbit," derived from Latin orbita (a track or rut, later generalized to a circular path), with the English agentive suffix "-er," indicating something that performs the action. Originally used in astronomy to describe celestial bodies, it was later applied to human-made spacecraft in the mid-20th century. The morphemes reflect a logical progression from the concept of circular motion to a functional object executing that motion.
The Mars orbiter captured high-resolution images of the planet's surface.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been mapping the Moon since 2009.
The spacecraft functioned as an orbiter before deploying its lander module.
Scientists analyzed data transmitted by the Jupiter orbiter.
Commercial companies now design orbiters for private satellite missions.