What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
year
Example
I was born in the year 1995. [year: noun]
Example
It takes one year for the Earth to orbit around the sun. [year: noun]
Example
She is in her final year of university. [year: noun]
orbit
Example
The moon orbits around the Earth. [orbits: verb]
Example
Jupiter has the largest orbit of any planet in our solar system. [orbit: noun]
Example
The helicopter circled the building in a tight orbit. [orbit: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Year is a more common word than orbit in everyday language, as it is used to measure time on Earth and is part of our daily lives. Orbit is a more specialized term used in the field of astronomy and space exploration.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between year and orbit?
Both year and orbit can be used in formal and informal contexts, but orbit may be considered more technical and scientific, and therefore more formal in certain situations.
