ptolemaic

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: Ptol=e=ma=ic

CIDE DICTIONARY

ptolemaic, a. 

 Of or pertaining to Ptolemy, the geographer and astronomer.  [1913 Webster]

Ptolemaic system (Astron.), the system maintained by Ptolemy, who supposed the earth to be fixed in the center of the universe, with the sun and stars revolving around it. This theory was received for ages, until superseded by the Copernican system.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ptolemaic, adj. hist.
1 of or relating to Ptolemy, a 2nd-c. Alexandrian astronomer, or his theories.
2 of or relating to the Ptolemies, Macedonian rulers of Egypt from the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) to the death of Cleopatra (30 BC).

Idiom

Ptolemaic system the theory that the earth is the stationary centre of the Universe (cf. COPERNICAN SYSTEM).

Etymology

L Ptolemaeus f. Gk Ptolemaios