Hypertext Webster Gateway: "rotary"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Rotary \Ro"ta*ry\, a. [L. rota a wheel. See {Roll}, v., and cf.
{barouche}, {Rodomontade}, {Rou['e]}, {Round}, a., {Rowel}.]
Turning, as a wheel on its axis; pertaining to, or
resembling, the motion of a wheel on its axis; rotatory; as,
rotary motion.
{Rotary engine}, steam engine in which the continuous
rotation of the shaft is produced by the direct action of
the steam upon rotating devices which serve as pistons,
instead of being derived from a reciprocating motion, as
in the ordinary engine; a steam turbine; -- called also
{rotatory engine}.
{Rotary pump}, a pump in which the fluid is impelled by
rotating devices which take the place of reciprocating
buckets or pistons.
{Rotary shears}, shears, as for cloth, metal, etc., in which
revolving sharp-edged or sharp-cornered wheels do the
cutting.
{Rotary valve}, a valve acting by continuous or partial
rotation, as in the four-way cock.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
rotary
adj : relating to or characterized by rotation; "rotary dial"
n 1: a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a
central island; "the accident blocked all traffic at the
rotary" [syn: {traffic circle}, {circle}, {roundabout}]
2: electrical converter consisting of a synchronous machine
that converts alternating to direct current or vice versa
[syn: {synchronous converter}, {rotary converter}]
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