English Dictionary

epicycle

/ˈɛpɪˌsaɪkəl/

noun

(astronomy) A small circle whose centre is on the circumference of a larger circle; in Ptolemaic astronomy it was seen as the basis of revolution of the "seven planets", given a fixed central Earth.

The Ptolemaic model of the solar system included the concept of epicycles.

意味（1）

(astronomy) A small circle whose centre is on the circumference of a larger circle; in Ptolemaic astronomy it was seen as the basis of revolution of the "seven planets", given a fixed central Earth.

, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.155:

, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.155: Is it not [Philosophie], that […] teacheth miserie, famine and sicknesse to laugh? Not by reason of some imaginarie Epicicles, but by naturall and palpable reasons.

意味（2）

(mathematics) Any circle whose circumference rolls around that of another circle, thus creating a hypocycloid or epicycloid.

意味（3）

(organic chemistry) A ring of atoms joining parts of an already cyclic compound

意味（4）

(figuratively) An ad hoc complication added to a model to make it fit the known data

If two chronicles seemed contradictory, instead of trying to choose between them, a rationalization (epicycle) was devised to cover both.