1
a
: turning on an axis like a wheel
b
: taking place about an axis
rotary motion
2
: having an important part that turns on an axis
rotary cutter
3
: characterized by rotation
4
: of, relating to, or being a press in which paper is printed by rotation in contact with a curved printing surface attached to a cylinder
plural rotaries
1
: a rotary machine
2
: a road junction formed around a central circle about which traffic moves in one direction only
called also circle, roundabout, traffic circle
Examples of rotary in a Sentence
Adjective
the rotary action of the wheel
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The infotainment setup strikes a good balance between simplicity and capability, though those who live in touchscreen menus may need time to adjust to the rotary controller.
—New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
The vinyl bar opened officially on June 2024, with a stellar lineup of DJs, all of whom spin records on an invite-only basis, taking advantage of the crisp, sonic sound through the speakers powered from an AlphaTheta Euphonia rotary mixer.
—Nneka M. Okona, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rotary
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Adjective
The 5,300-year-old tool reveals that Egyptian craftspeople mastered sophisticated rotary drilling technology more than two millennia earlier than previously believed.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The infotainment setup strikes a good balance between simplicity and capability, though those who live in touchscreen menus may need time to adjust to the rotary controller.
—New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
Pushing the origin of reliable rotary drilling back by more than two millennia forces a reconsideration of what Predynastic Egyptians were capable of, at a time well before the pyramids or the great dynastic building projects.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
The vinyl bar opened officially on June 2024, with a stellar lineup of DJs, all of whom spin records on an invite-only basis, taking advantage of the crisp, sonic sound through the speakers powered from an AlphaTheta Euphonia rotary mixer.
—Nneka M. Okona, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rotary
Cite this Entry
“Rotary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotary. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rotary
1 of 2 adjective
ro·ta·ry
ˈrōt-ə-rē 
1
a
: turning on an axis like a wheel
a rotary blade
b
: taking place about an axis
rotary motion
2
: having a rotating part
a rotary lawn mower
rotary
2 of 2 noun
plural rotaries
1
: a rotary machine
2
: a road junction formed around a central circle about which traffic moves in one direction only
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