1. plural of ecliptic; the apparent paths of the sun through the sky as seen from Earth, or similar orbital planes
Usage: astronomy

Examples

• The ecliptics of different planets are tilted at various angles.
• Astronomers study the ecliptics to understand planetary motion.
• The moon’s orbit is inclined about 5 degrees to Earth’s ecliptic.
• Ancient civilizations tracked the ecliptics to create calendars.
• The ecliptics of the inner planets lie roughly in the same plane.
• Comets often have orbits that are highly inclined to the ecliptics.