ecliptic

adj. of an eclipse; of the orbit or route of the sun

n. path of the sun

The ecliptic is the apparent path that the Sun traces out in the sky, as it appears to move in the sky in relation to the stars, this apparent path aligns with the planets throughout the course of the year. More accurately, it is the intersection of the celestial sphere with the ecliptic plane, which is the geometric plane containing the mean orbit of the Earth around the Sun. It should be distinguished from the invariable ecliptic plane, which is the vector sum of the angular momenta of all planetary orbital planes, to which Jupiter is the main contributor.
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Noun
1. the great circle representing the apparent annual path of the sun; the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun; makes an angle of about 23 degrees with the equator; "all of the planets rotate the sun in approximately the same ecliptic"
(hypernym) great circle

(a.)
Pertaining to the ecliptic; as, the ecliptic way.
  

(a.)
Pertaining to an eclipse or to eclipses.
  

(a.)
A great circle of the celestial sphere, making an angle with the equinoctial of about 23¡ 28'. It is the apparent path of the sun, or the real path of the earth as seen from the sun.
  

(a.)
A great circle drawn on a terrestrial globe, making an angle of 23¡ 28' with the equator; -- used for illustrating and solving astronomical problems.
  

Ecliptic An imaginary great circle on the celestial sphere, defining the apparent annual path of the sun around the earth. A line drawn through the center of this circle and perpendicular to its plane constitutes its axis, the extremities of which are the poles of the ecliptic. The axis of the ecliptic and the axis of the earth are inclined to each other at an angle of 23 degrees 27 minutes, which is said to be at present decreasing at the rate of 1 minute in 128 years. The relative movement of the two axes causes the precession of the equinoxes.