Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Rotation has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
the act of rotating as if on an axis
"the rotation of the dancer kept time with the music"
(mathematics) a transformation in which the coordinate axes are rotated by a fixed angle about the origin
"In linear algebra, we can simplify the quadratic form by applying a rotation to the coordinate axes."
a single complete turn (axial or orbital)
"the plane made three rotations before it crashed"
"the revolution of the earth about the sun takes one year"
a planned recurrent sequence (of crops or personnel etc.)
"crop rotation makes a balanced demand on the fertility of the soil"
"the manager had only four starting pitchers in his rotation"
The act of turning around a centre or an axis.
"The Earth's rotation on its axis causes day and night."
In plain English: Rotation is when something spins around and turns back to its starting position.
"The rotation of the earth causes day and night."
Usage: Rotation refers to circular movement around a central point, distinct from revolution which describes moving along the circumference of that circle. Use this term when describing objects spinning on their own axis rather than orbiting another body.
The word rotation comes from the Latin rotātiō, which originally referred to the act of turning or revolving around a center. It entered English through French as an abstract noun describing circular motion.