lander

noun

land·​er ˈlan-dər How to pronounce lander (audio)
: one that lands
especially : a space vehicle that is designed to land on a celestial body (such as the moon or a planet)

Examples of lander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Primary payload was commercial company Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander headed to the moon. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025 The vehicle is essentially a hopper and has been used in recent years by various customers, including companies building commercial lunar landers, to test their hazard-detection systems. ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025 The iconic shuttle is recreated beautifully, and the rocket booster section even detaches during the flight, letting the lander glide back to Earth. Ian Stokes, Space.com, 23 May 2025 The 50-year-old lander probe returned to Earth early Saturday, May 10, entering the atmosphere at about 2:24 a.m. Mike Snider, USA Today, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for lander

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lander was in 1859

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Cite this Entry

“Lander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lander. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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