Word Explorer
Children's
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
Intermediate Dictionary        

sat·el·lite

satellite

 
 
pronunciation:
sae t laIt
features:
Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: noun
definition 1: a heavenly body that moves around a planet or another larger body.
The moon is a satellite of Earth.
definition 2: a spacecraft that is sent into orbit around a planet or other heavenly body to gather or send back information.
 
definition 3: a country that is controlled by another, more powerful country.
derivation: satellitic (adj.)
Word History
Satellite comes from a Latin word that means "someone who attends a person of importance." In the 1600s, the moons that revolve around planets were first referred to as "satellites."
Word Explorer
See
  electricity, film, outer space, photography, space, technology