noun

asteroid

asteroid

An asteroid could hit the Earth one day.

An asteroid could hit the Earth one day.

Scientists are tracking a large asteroid.

Scientists are tracking a large asteroid.

an asteroid a small rocky body orbiting the sun The asteroid belt is between Mars and Jupiter.

Synonyms: minor planet, planetoid

From Greek 'asteroeides', meaning 'star-like'. It comes from 'aster' (star) + '-oeides' (-oid, meaning 'form' or 'like').

It looks like a star ('aster') but is a rock, so it is 'star-like' ('-oid').

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