asteroid

Pronunciation: /ˈæst(ə)ɹɔɪd/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun any of numerous small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal that move around the sun (mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter)
  2. adjective shaped like a star

Etymology

From aster + -oid, lit. "star-like". Coined by William Herschel.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
minor planet
Narrower (hyponyms)
chiron

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading

Nice save! Solidify it with review →