Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PTOL-E-MA'IC, a. [from Ptolemy, the geographer and astrologer.]

Pertaining to Ptolemy. The Ptolemaic system, in astronomy, is that maintained by Ptolemy, who supposed the earth to be fixed in the center of the universe, and that the sun and stars revolve around it. This theory was received for ages, but has been rejected for the Copernican system.