rotation
gb/ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/ us/ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 8000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
action
1
turning around a central axis
The movement when something turns around a line or point, like a wheel or the Earth spinning.
Usage pattern:
the rotation of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "rotation" with "revolution" in astronomy. "Rotation" is turning around your own axis (the Earth rotating), while "revolution" is moving around another object (the Earth’s revolution around the Sun).
Synonyms
spin (More informal and general; often used for faster or continuous turning.)
|
revolution (Often used for a complete turn or an orbit around another body, especially in astronomy.)
Antonyms
stillness (Emphasizes the lack of movement or turning.)
Collocations
the rotation of the Earth
|axial rotation
|full rotation
|rotation speed
|rotation period
Themes
science
|physics
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes day and night.
- Reduce the fan’s rotation to lower the noise level.
- A full rotation of the wheel moves the bike several meters.
- The engineer measured the rotation of the turbine blades.
- Slow rotation of the drum prevents the clothes from getting tangled.
Learner examples
- The Earth’s rotation takes about 24 hours.
- The fast rotation of the motor makes a loud sound.
- One rotation of the hand on a clock means one hour.
- The slow rotation of the chair made him feel sick.
Noun
B2
action
2
regular change in order or duties
A plan where people or things take turns in a regular order, often for work or use.
Usage pattern:
[people] are on a rotation for [task]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "change" instead of "rotation" for regular, planned turns (e.g., "We have a change for night duty"). Use "rotation" when the change follows a repeated schedule among several people or things.
Synonyms
alternation (More formal; focuses on taking turns, not on the planned schedule itself.)
Antonyms
fixed assignment (Emphasizes that roles or tasks do not change among people.)
Collocations
job rotation
|staff rotation
|shift rotation
|in rotation
|on a rotation
Themes
work
|organization
|daily life
|business
Examples
- The nurses work in a weekly rotation so that everyone does some night shifts.
- We use a rotation of moderators to run the online meetings.
- The manager introduced job rotation to give employees broader experience.
- Those songs are in heavy rotation on the radio this month.
- The cleaning duties follow a clear rotation posted on the wall.
Learner examples
- There is a rotation for who cleans the office.
- Our team has a rotation for weekend work.
- The teacher used a rotation so each student could speak.
- These three ads are in rotation on TV.
Noun
B2
entity
3
planned group/order of players
In sports, the planned group or order of players who take turns in a position or in games.
Usage pattern:
[team]’s rotation of [players]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "rotation" with "formation" in sports. A "formation" is how players are arranged on the field at one time, while a "rotation" is the order or group of players who take turns over time.
Synonyms
lineup (Similar but broader; "lineup" is the whole set of players, while "rotation" is usually the group or order that changes over time, especially pitchers or substitutes.)
Antonyms
fixed lineup (Suggests that the same players start every time, without a changing rotation.)
Collocations
starting rotation
|pitching rotation
|in the rotation
|four-man rotation
|solid rotation
Themes
sports
Examples
- Their starting rotation is one of the strongest in the league.
- In volleyball, players must follow the rotation and move to the next position after each side-out.
- The coach added a rookie to the pitching rotation after the injury.
- He moved out of the regular rotation and now only plays in special situations.
- The team experimented with a smaller rotation during the playoffs.
Learner examples
- The coach changed the team’s rotation.
- She joined the starting rotation this season.
- There are five pitchers in their rotation.
- He is no longer in the main rotation.
Noun
technical
C1
event
4
temporary training placement
A short time when a student or worker is sent to one department to learn and work there, before moving to another department.
Usage pattern:
on a [department] rotation
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "rotation" here means physical turning. In education or work, a "rotation" is a time block spent in one place before moving on to another, not a physical movement.
Synonyms
placement (Common in British English for a practical work period; less specific about being part of a sequence of departments.)
Antonyms
permanent posting (Highlights that the role is not temporary or part of a series of learning periods.)
Collocations
clinical rotation
|surgical rotation
|on rotation in [department]
|first-year rotation
|rotation through [department]
Themes
education
|work
|medicine
|health
Examples
- During her clinical rotation, she spent eight weeks in pediatrics.
- Residents complete rotations in several departments before choosing a specialty.
- He is currently on a cardiology rotation at the teaching hospital.
- The graduate program includes a year-long rotation through three different teams.
- Students start their first rotation in internal medicine.
Learner examples
- I am on a surgery rotation this month.
- Medical students do many rotations in the hospital.
- She met her mentor during her first rotation.
- The company offers a two-year rotation program for new hires.
Noun
technical
C1
action
5
turning a shape in geometry
In math, a change where a shape is turned around a point by some degrees.
Usage pattern:
a rotation of [angle] about [point]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix up "rotation" and "translation" in geometry. A "rotation" turns the figure around a point; a "translation" slides it without turning.
Synonyms
turn (Informal and less precise; used in teaching to explain the idea, but not as exact as the technical term.)
Antonyms
reflection (Another basic transformation that flips a figure instead of turning it.)
Collocations
90-degree rotation
|rotation symmetry
|rotation matrix
|rotation about the origin
|rotation operator
Themes
math
|science
|education
Examples
- A 90-degree rotation about the origin maps the point (1, 0) to (0, 1).
- The shape has rotational symmetry of order four, meaning a quarter-turn rotation leaves it unchanged.
- You can represent a rotation in three dimensions using a rotation matrix.
- Apply a clockwise rotation of 180 degrees to the triangle.
- The algorithm computes the optimal rotation and translation between the two point sets.
Learner examples
- The teacher drew a rotation of the triangle.
- After a rotation of 90 degrees, the square looks the same.
- We used a rotation to move the shape on the graph.
- A half-turn is a rotation of 180 degrees.
Noun
technical
C1
action
6
turning movement of a joint
In medicine or sports, movement where a body part turns around its own line, like turning your arm in or out.
Usage pattern:
rotation of the [joint/body part]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with general "twisting" and use it in casual contexts where a simpler verb is better. Use the technical sense of "rotation" mainly in medical, sports-training, or anatomical descriptions.
Synonyms
twisting (Everyday word; can sound less controlled or more forceful than the neutral technical term "rotation".)
Antonyms
immobilization (Refers to keeping a joint from moving, the opposite of allowing or performing rotation.)
Collocations
hip rotation
|shoulder rotation
|internal rotation
|external rotation
|range of rotation
Themes
medicine
|sports
|health
|body
Examples
- Limited hip rotation can cause pain during running.
- The therapist tested external rotation of the shoulder.
- Gentle neck rotation can help relieve stiffness.
- Full rotation of the wrist was painful after the injury.
- The exercise focuses on improving internal rotation of the hip joint.
Learner examples
- The doctor checked the rotation of my knee.
- Slow rotation of the neck can relax the muscles.
- He felt pain during rotation of his shoulder.
- The therapist said my hip rotation is very tight.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rotation
IPA
GB/ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
US/ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
ro - ta - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ta)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: rotation
- Plural: rotation, rotations
Word family
Expressions
crop rotation
1/kɹˈɑp ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
planned change of crops on land
A farming method where a farmer grows different plants on the same land in different years to keep the soil healthy.
Examples
- Crop rotation can reduce pests and improve soil fertility.
- Traditional farmers often used simple crop rotation with grains and legumes.
- The course explained how crop rotation affects long-term yields.
in rotation
1/ˈɪn ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
used as part of a regular order
Used to say that something is one of several things that are used or shown again and again in a set order.
Examples
- Those three commercials are currently in rotation on national TV.
- We keep a few different playlists in rotation at the café.
- Several guest hosts are now in rotation for the show.
job rotation
1/d͡ʒˈɑb ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
regular movement between job roles
A company plan where workers move to different jobs or roles for some time to learn new skills.
Examples
- The company introduced job rotation to reduce boredom and improve skills.
- Job rotation can help employees understand how different departments work together.
- New hires go through a year of job rotation before choosing a permanent role.
on rotation
1/ˈɔn ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
taking regular turns at something
Used to say that a person or thing takes turns with others in a regular plan.
Examples
- We’re on rotation for weekend support, so I work one weekend a month.
- Three DJs are on rotation for the Friday night show.
- Volunteers are on rotation to cover the reception desk.
pitching rotation
1/pˈɪt͡ʃɪŋ ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
planned order of starting pitchers
In baseball, the group and order of pitchers who start games for a team.
Examples
- The manager adjusted the pitching rotation for the playoff series.
- A deep pitching rotation is key to a long season.
- They announced a four-man pitching rotation for the tournament.
sector rotation
1/sˈɛktɚ ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
moving investments between sectors
In investing, a strategy where you move your money from one group of industries to another as economic conditions change.
Examples
- The fund follows a sector rotation strategy based on economic cycles.
- Recent market moves suggest a sector rotation into defensive stocks.
- Sector rotation can help balance risk across different parts of the market.
shift rotation
1/ʃˈɪft ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
system of changing work shifts
A work plan where workers take turns working different times of day, like day, evening, and night.
Examples
- Due to the new shift rotation, she now works nights every third week.
- The factory runs 24 hours a day with a three-week shift rotation.
- Poorly planned shift rotation can affect workers’ health.
starting rotation
1/stˈɑɹtɪŋ ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
main group of starting pitchers
In baseball, the main group of pitchers who start games for a team.
Examples
- Their starting rotation struggled with injuries last season.
- The trade should strengthen the top of the starting rotation.
- They rely heavily on a young starting rotation.