planet
/ˈplænɪt/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
planētēs — wanderer
Overview
Meaning Now
- A celestial body moving in an elliptical orbit around a star.
Literal older meaning
wanderer
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
planete
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
In ancient astronomy, the term 'planet' was applied to the Sun, Moon, and five visible objects (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) that appeared to move across the background of 'fixed' stars. The modern scientific definition excludes the Sun and Moon and includes Earth, reflecting the shift from a geocentric to a heliocentric model.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek (c. 5th century BC)
planētēs
“wanderer”
Used to describe stars that moved relative to the fixed stars.
- Latin (c. 1st century AD)
planeta
“wandering star”
Transliteration of the Greek term.
- Old French (c. 11th century)
planete
“wandering star”
Connections
Word parts
planet
root
wanderer
Related across languages
French
planète
planet
German
planet
Explore next
Related to planet
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.