asteroid

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• ăs'tə-roid"
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• /ˈæst(ə)ɹɔɪd/
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• US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• homophone: astroid (one pronunciation)
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• rhymes with -ɔɪd
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• CMU ARPABET: AE1 S T ER0 OY2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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]Introduced by German–British astronomer William Herschel in 1802 upon the suggestion of classical scholar Charles Burney Jr. (1757–1817), the son of music historian Charles Burney, a friend of Herschel's. Probably coined as a learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀστεροειδής (asteroeidḗs, “starlike”), from ἀστήρ (astḗr, “celestial body”) + -ειδής (-eidḗs, adjective-forming suffix). By surface analysis, aster + -oid.

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀστεροειδής (asteroeidḗs), from ἀστήρ (astḗr, “star”) + εἶδος (eîdos, “form”). Analyzable as aster- + -oid. Piecewise doublet of etymology 1. Compare also the botanical taxon Asteroideae.

111 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Albanian: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Arabic: كُوَيْكِب (kuwaykib) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Armenian: աստերոիդ (asteroid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Armenian: աստղակերպ (astġakerp) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Assamese: গ্ৰহাণু (grohanu) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Asturian: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Asturian: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Azerbaijani: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Basque: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Belarusian: астэро́ід (asteróid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Bengali: গ্রহাণু (grohanu) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Bulgarian: астерои́д (asteroíd) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Burmese: ဥက္ကာပျံ (ukka-pyam) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Catalan: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Catalan: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Cherokee: ᏅᏯ ᏧᎳᎬᎭᎸᏓ (nvya tsulagvhalvda) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Chinese Cantonese: 小行星 — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Chinese Mandarin: 小行星 (xiǎoxíngxīng) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Czech: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Danish: småplanet — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Danish: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Danish: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Dutch: planetoïde — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Dutch: asteroïde — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Esperanto: asteroido — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Estonian: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Faroese: smástjørna — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Finnish: asteroidi — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• French: astéroïde — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Galician: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Galician: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Georgian: ასტეროიდი (asṭeroidi) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Georgian: მცირე ცთომილები (mcire ctomilebi) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• German: Asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Greek: αστεροειδής (asteroeidís) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Gujarati: લઘુગ્રહ (laghugrah) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Hawaiian: hōkūnaʻi — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Hebrew: אַסְטֶרוֹאִיד (astero'íd) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Hindi: क्षुद्रग्रह (kṣudragrah) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Hindi: उपग्रह (upagrah) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Hungarian: kisbolygó — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Hungarian: aszteroida — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Icelandic: smástirni — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Ido: asteroido — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Indonesian: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Indonesian: planetoid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Irish: astaróideach — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Irish: mionphláinéad — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Italian: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Italian: pianetino — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Italian: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Japanese: 小惑星 (shōwakusei) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Kannada: ಕ್ಷುದ್ರ ಗ್ರಹ (kṣudra graha) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Kazakh: астероид (asteroid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Korean: 소행성 (sohaengseong) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Northern Kurdish: asteroîd — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Kyrgyz: астероид (asteroid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Lao: ດາວເຄາະນ້ອຍ (dāo khǫ nǭi) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Latvian: asteroīds — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Lithuanian: asteroidas — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Macedonian: астерои́д (asteroíd) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Malay: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Malayalam: ഛിന്നഗ്രഹം (chinnagrahaṁ) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Māori: aorangi iti — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Marathi: लघुग्रह (laghugrah) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Mongolian: астероид (asteroid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Mongolian: бага гариг (baga garig) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Mongolian: жижиг гараг (žižig garag) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Navajo: tsé naatʼaʼí — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Norwegian Bokmål: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Norwegian Nynorsk: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Pashto: استرويد (asteroyid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Iranian Persian: سَیَّارَک (sayyârak) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Polish: asteroida — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Polish: planetoida — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Portuguese: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Portuguese: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Quechuan: puriq quyllurcha — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Romanian: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Russian: астеро́ид (asteróid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Russian: ма́лая плане́та (málaja planéta) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Serbo-Croatian: астеро̀ӣд — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Serbo-Croatian: asteròīd — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Sindhi: گِرَھِڙِي (girahirree) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Sinhalese: ක්ෂුද්ර ග්රහයා (kṣudra grahayā) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Sinhalese: ග්රහක (grahaka) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Slovak: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Slovene: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Spanish: asteroide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Spanish: planetoide — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Swedish: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tagalog: malatala — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tagalog: asteroyde — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tagalog: asteroyd — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tajik: сайёрак (sayyorak) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tajik: астероид (asteroyid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tamil: நுண்கோள் (nuṇkōḷ) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tatar: астероид (asteroid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Telugu: గ్రహశకలం (grahaśakalaṁ) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Thai: ดาวเคราะห์น้อย (daao-krɔ́-nɔ́ɔi) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Tibetan: སྐར་རྡོ (skar rdo) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Turkish: asteroit — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Turkmen: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Ukrainian: астеро́їд (asterójid) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Urdu: سَیّارْچَہ (saiyārca) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Uyghur: ئاستروئىد (astro'id) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Uyghur: كىچىك سەييارە (kichik seyyare) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Uzbek: asteroid — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Uzbek: kichik sayyora — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Vietnamese: tiểu hành tinh — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star
• Yiddish: אַסטערויד (asteroyd) — astronomy: a naturally occurring solid object, which is smaller than a planet and is not a comet, that orbits a star