astronaut

noun

as·​tro·​naut ˈa-strə-ˌnȯt 

-ˌnät

plural astronauts

: a person whose profession is to travel beyond the earth's atmosphere

NASA on Wednesday introduced the group of astronauts it has chosen for upcoming missions to the moon. The program, called Artemis, aims to send people back to the moon for the first time since the end of NASA's Apollo program in 1972.

—Kenneth Chang

broadly : any person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere

William Shatner, the 90-year-old actor of "Star Trek" fame, endured a 10-minute, rocket-powered ride to the edge of space … . In that moment, at least one thing became certain: Yes, a nonagenarian can be an astronaut.

—Jackie Wattles

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Examples of astronaut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The ceremony, attended by former NASA astronauts, current NASA leaders and surviving family of those being remembered, was one of several events around the nation held at NASA centers as well as Arlington National Ceremony in Washington. —Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2025

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire philanthropist who's funded and flown on two private astronaut missions with SpaceX including the historic Polaris Dawn mission, has been nominated as the next NASA administrator. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2025

Historically, these satellites have been our connection to space, allowing people on the ground to talk to astronauts and receive images of celestial bodies. —Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025

The United States also used land in Panama for a variety of military activities, from training astronauts (Neil Armstrong trained in jungle survival at an Air Force base in the Canal Zone) to testing chemical weapons throughout the mid-1900s as part of the San Jose Project. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

astro- + -naut (in aeronaut)

Note: See note at astronautics.

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

astronaut

noun

as·​tro·​naut ˈas-trə-ˌnȯt 

-nät

: a traveler in a spacecraft

astronautic

ˌas-trə-ˈnȯt-ik

adjective

or astronautical

-i-kəl,

-nät-

Etymology

from astro- "star, heavens" (derived from Greek astron "star") and -naut (derived from Greek nautēs "sailor," from naus "ship") — related to nausea, nautical see Word History at nausea