great circle
A 'great circle' is crucial in fields like navigation and geometry, representing the largest possible circle on a sphere and the shortest path between two points on its surface.
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Definition
B2Geometry
(technical, academic)The intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the sphere's center.
Example
- In geometry class, we learned that the equator is an example of a great circle on Earth.
B2Navigation
(technical)The shortest distance between two points on a spherical surface.
Example
- Pilots often plan their routes along great circles to minimize travel distance.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "great circle":