orbital

noun ohr-bee-TAHL Rare

Also means

ring road

Usage Note

Orbital covers two distinct domains: in physics/chemistry it refers to an electron orbital (orbital atómico), and in transport it describes a ring road or bypass (la carretera orbital). As an adjective it is invariable in form regardless of gender. The noun use for a ring road is more common in Spain than in Latin America.

Examples

"El orbital rodea toda la ciudad."

Natural Translation

The ring road goes around the whole city.

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