planetary
relating to planets in space
About planets in space, or about how they move and what they are like.
planetary [noun]
- NASA announced a new mission for detailed planetary exploration of Jupiter and its moons.
- The course covers planetary atmospheres and how they differ from Earth’s.
- Astronomers study planetary systems to understand how planets form around stars.
- The spacecraft’s camera sent back high‑resolution images of the planetary surface.
- Advances in planetary science have changed our ideas about which worlds might support life.
- We learned about planetary orbits in science class.
- The rover landed on Mars for planetary research.
- New tools help scientists study planetary surfaces.
- The movie shows a spaceship visiting many planetary systems.
- She wants to work in planetary science in the future.
affecting or involving the whole planet
Affecting or including the whole Earth, not just one place.
planetary [noun]
- Climate change is creating a planetary crisis that no country can face alone.
- The report warns that several planetary boundaries may soon be crossed.
- Her research focuses on planetary health and the links between ecosystems and human disease.
- The company claims its new policy reflects a sense of planetary responsibility.
- Digital platforms now operate at planetary scale, reaching billions of users.
- Global warming is a planetary problem.
- We must think about our planetary future, not only our city.
- Some scientists talk about planetary limits for pollution.
- The film shows the planetary impact of plastic waste.
- These fires are not only a local issue; they have planetary effects.
relating to a planetary gear system
About a type of machine part where small gears turn around one big gear in the middle.
planetary [noun]
- The electric motor uses a compact planetary gear system to increase torque.
- Engineers chose a planetary gearbox to achieve a high reduction ratio in a small space.
- A fault in the planetary transmission caused the industrial robot to stop unexpectedly.
- This bicycle hub relies on planetary gears hidden inside the rear wheel.
- Planetary gearsets are common in automatic car transmissions.
- The car has a planetary gearbox.
- A planetary gear can make a lot of power in a small space.
- Engineers use planetary gears in many machines.
- The robot arm moves with help from a planetary drive.
- This motor uses a planetary gearset inside.
relating to astrological planetary influence
About how planets are believed to affect people and events in astrology.
planetary [noun]
- The astrologer said that the current planetary alignment was favorable for new relationships.
- She writes a weekly column explaining planetary influences on each zodiac sign.
- Some people plan major decisions around planetary transits in their birth chart.
- The workshop focuses on understanding planetary energies in modern astrology.
- Followers believe that planetary cycles can guide personal and collective change.
- He believes that planetary positions affect his life.
- The app shows planetary transits for each day.
- She reads about planetary influences in her horoscope.
- They talk about planetary energies in the class.
- The teacher explains how planetary alignment is important in astrology.
- Base: planetary
planetary boundaries
1limits of safe human impact
Idea of limits to how much people can damage nature before Earth’s systems become unsafe for us.
- Many experts warn that we are close to crossing several planetary boundaries.
- The report uses the concept of planetary boundaries to measure environmental risk.
planetary crisis
1crisis threatening the whole planet
A very serious problem that puts the whole Earth and life on it in danger.
- Scientists describe climate change as a planetary crisis requiring urgent action.
- The documentary shows how small choices can add up to a planetary crisis.
planetary gear
1gear set around a central gear
A machine part where small gears turn around one big gear in the middle.
- The drill uses a planetary gear to increase torque.
- Engineers chose a planetary gear to keep the design compact and powerful.
planetary health
1human health linked to Earth’s systems
A way of thinking about human health that also looks at the health of the Earth’s air, water, land, and life.
- The university launched a new center for planetary health to study climate and disease together.
- Protecting forests is now seen as a key part of planetary health.
planetary nebula
1round gas shell from dying star
A round cloud of gas in space that comes from a dying star and looks a bit like a planet in a telescope.
- Through the telescope we observed a colorful planetary nebula in the constellation Lyra.
- The Hubble images of the planetary nebula show complex rings of glowing gas.
planetary scale
1at the level of the whole planet
Describes something that is as big as, or affects, the whole planet.
- Human activity now affects the Earth system on a planetary scale.
- The project models climate processes at planetary scale.
planetary science
1scientific study of planets
The science that studies planets, moons, and how they work.
- She is doing a PhD in planetary science, focusing on Mars.
- Planetary science combines geology, physics, and chemistry to understand other worlds.
planetary system
1a star and its orbiting planets
A star and all the planets and other small objects that go around it.
- Astronomers discovered a new planetary system with at least three Earth‑sized worlds.
- Our planetary system, with the Sun at its center, is called the solar system.