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asteroid

asteroid

314 5.0
A small rocky or metal body that orbits the Sun, often between Mars and Jupiter
  • noun
  • /ˈæstərɔɪd/
translation icon : asteroide
  • NASA's mission to explore the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter will help us learn more about the formation of our solar system.
  • asteroid belt
  • asteroid strike
  • near-Earth asteroid

Here's the thing, that asteroid, it's not real.

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Examples

  • An asteroid 12 miles in diameter struck the Earth.

  • Deflecting an asteroid: chances are high that an asteroid is hurtling toward Earth even now.

    Academic text (2008)
  • This is the next reason this asteroid was chosen.

  • Let's go get an asteroid and pull back the platinum.

  • So these are the expected number of asteroids that we have for each size.

  • Last but not least, asteroids are becoming commercially interesting.

  • And those blue dots in the middle are the asteroids that we know in the asteroid belt.

  • NASA's mission to the asteroid Psyche is back on track.

  • Our government thinks asteroids are Earth's biggest threat.

  • And there are hundreds of thousands of asteroids that cross the Earth's orbit.

Synonyms

planetoid
vsasteroid
  • Specialized
9 8.4

A small rock in space that orbits the Sun like a tiny planet

is the usual name for such bodies especially between Mars and Jupiter
celestial body
vsasteroid
  • Specialized
5 4.4

A natural object in space like a star or planet that you can see in the sky

is much narrower meaning a small rocky or metallic sun-orbiting object
minor planet
vsasteroid
  • Specialized
1 6.4

A small body that orbits the Sun, like an asteroid

is the common term for small rocky or metallic sun-orbiting objects
Apollo asteroid
vsasteroid
  • Specialized
8.0

An asteroid whose path crosses Earth's orbit

is a general small rocky sun-orbiting object often found between Mars and Jupiter

Compounds

A region between Mars and Jupiter where most asteroids orbit the Sun

Apollo asteroid
  • Specialized
8.0

An asteroid whose path crosses Earth's orbit

How Big

planet
1.0
asteroid
314 5.0
meteoroid
  • Specialized
3 8.5

Surface Forms

asteroid singular
asteroids plural

Etymology

The word asteroid comes from the Greek root aster meaning 'star' and the ending -oid meaning 'like'. So an asteroid is a 'star-like' object in space, a small, rocky body that often orbits between Mars and Jupiter.