asteroid
UK: ˈæstərɔɪd | US: ˈæstərɔɪd
n. A small rocky body orbiting the sun, typically found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
n. (Biology) A star-shaped structure or microorganism.
The word "asteroid" combines the Greek root aster- (meaning "star") with the suffix -oid (meaning "resembling" or "like"). It was coined in the early 19th century by astronomer William Herschel to describe these celestial bodies, which appeared star-like in telescopes but moved like planets. The term reflects their visual similarity to distant stars while distinguishing their planetary motion.
The asteroid belt contains millions of rocky fragments.
Scientists study asteroids to understand the early solar system.
The telescope captured images of a rare binary asteroid.
Some asteroids pass dangerously close to Earth.
In biology, certain cells are described as asteroid due to their shape.