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Definition of "asteroid" []

  • Astronomy Any of numerous small celestial bodies that revolve around the sun, with orbits lying chiefly between Mars and Jupiter and characteristic diameters between a few and several hundred kilometers. Also called minor planet, planetoid. (noun)
  • Zoology See starfish. (noun)
  • Star-shaped. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "asteroid" in a sentence
  • "* And the only thing that can stop this asteroid is your liberal arts degree."
  • "The explanation for the 'asteroid' is a rather interesting SF-nal idea, but Roberts doesn't really go anywhere with it, he leaves it hanging."
  • "A large asteroid is on a collision course with Earth."