Epicycle

Definitions

1. 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.
2. Any circle whose circumference rolls around that of another circle, thus creating a hypocycloid or epicycloid.
3. A ring of atoms joining parts of an already cyclic compound
4. An ad hoc complication added to a model to make it fit the known data
   figuratively

Equivalents

Examples

“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.”

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

“Rather than solve⟳ the theoretical problem of how to produce⟳ a method of political ethics, the contractarian device introduces an unnecessary theoretical epicycle into what is otherwise a coherent account of social justice in particular and political morality in general.”

CEFR level