- pronunciation:
- plae
niht
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a large, nonluminous celestial body, esp. one of the nine in the solar system, that revolves around a star and often has one or more satellites.
- similar words:
- world
|
| definition 2: |
in astrology, any celestial body believed to influence human lives.
|
| related words: |
globe, orb |
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The word
planet entered English eight hundred years ago, during the Middle Ages. "Planet" comes from the ancient Greek term
asteres planetai or "wandering stars." In 1640, astronomers began using the word "planet" in its modern sense of a body that circles a star (the sun).