rotate

1 of 2

adjective

ro·​tate ˈrō-ˌtāt How to pronounce rotate (audio)
: having the parts flat and spreading or radiating like the spokes of a wheel
rotate blue flowers

rotate

2 of 2

verb

ro·​tate ˈrō-ˌtāt How to pronounce rotate (audio)
 especially British  rō-ˈtāt
rotated; rotating

intransitive verb

1
a
: to perform an act, function, or operation in turn
b
: to pass or alternate in a series
2
: to turn about an axis or a center : revolve
especially : to move in such a way that all particles follow circles with a common angular velocity about a common axis

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to turn or move about an axis or a center
b
: to cause (a plane region or line) to sweep out a volume or surface by moving around an axis so that each of its points remains at a constant distance from the axis
generate a torus by rotating a circle about an external line
2
: to cause to grow in rotation
rotate crops
3
: to cause to pass or act in a series : alternate
4
: to exchange (individuals or units) with others
rotatable
ˈrō-ˌtā-tə-bəl How to pronounce rotate (audio)
 also  rō-ˈtā-
adjective

Examples of rotate in a Sentence

Verb As the gear rotates, it turns the other gears. The Earth rotates on its axis. The planets rotate around the sun. The software allows you to rotate images. Rotate the sheet of paper 90 degrees. The staff rotates the weekend shift. We rotate—she does the dishes one week; I do them the next. You should rotate your car's tires once a year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The dining room on the floor below has deep red carpets, gold chairs, burl wood walls in a herringbone pattern and reflective metallic paint on the ceiling that intensifies the rotating 360 degree views. Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 Powered by the automatic Rolex cal. 3175, its GMT hand was still slaved to the local hour hand, meaning that a second time zone could only be tracked using the rotating bezel. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2025 Visit The Danville Museum Of Fine Arts And History For a crash course in Danville history, plus access to a rotating lineup of fine art exhibits, the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History is a one-stop shop for all things Danville culture. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025 Part of the fun is watching the rotating pianists perform such a wide range of music virtually on the spot. Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rotate

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin rota

Verb

Latin rotatus, past participle of rotare, from rota wheel — more at roll

First Known Use

Adjective

1760, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1757, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rotate was in 1757

Cite this Entry

“Rotate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotate. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

rotate

verb
ro·​tate
ˈrō-ˌtāt
rotated; rotating
1
: to turn or cause to turn about an axis or a center
the earth rotates
2
a
: to do or cause to do something in turn
b
: to pass in a series
the seasons rotate
3
: to cause to grow one after the other on the same land
rotate alfalfa and corn
rotatable
-ˌtāt-ə-bəl
adjective
rotator
-ˌtāt-ər
noun

Medical Definition

rotate

verb
ro·​tate
ˈrō-ˌtāt, especially British rō-ˈ
rotated; rotating

intransitive verb

: to turn about an axis or a center

transitive verb

: to cause to turn about an axis or a center
rotate the head

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