satellite

sat·el·lite

noun \ˈsa-tə-ˌlīt\

Definition of SATELLITE

1

: a hired agent or obsequious follower : minion, sycophant

2

a : a celestial body orbiting another of larger size

b : a manufactured object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another celestial body

3

: someone or something attendant, subordinate, or dependent; especially : a country politically and economically dominated or controlled by another more powerful country

4

: a usually independent urban community situated near but not immediately adjacent to a large city

— satellite adjective

Examples of SATELLITE

1. Satellites help meteorologists predict the weather.
2. Images of the planet are sent by satellite.

Origin of SATELLITE

Middle French, from Latin satellit-, satelles attendant

First Known Use: circa 1548

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

Rhymes with SATELLITE

acolyte, aconite, aerolite, Ammonite, Amorite, amosite, anchorite, andesite, anthracite, antiwhite, apartheid, appetite, arsenite, azurite, Bakelite, bedlamite, Benthamite, biotite, bipartite, black-and-white, blatherskite, bleacherite, bring to light, Brooklynite, bryophyte, calamite, Canaanite, candlelight, Carmelite, Castroite, catamite, cellulite, cenobite, chalcocite, chestnut blight, Chinese white, columbite, coprolite, copyright, cryolite, crystallite, disinvite, disunite, divine right, dolerite, dolomite, dynamite, ebonite, epiphyte, eremite, erudite, expedite, extradite, featherlight, fight-or-flight, fly-by-night, gelignite, geophyte, gesundheit, gigabyte, Gilsonite, Hashemite, hematite, hemocyte, hessonite, Hitlerite, Houstonite, hug-me-tight, Hutterite, hyalite, Ibsenite, impolite, inner light, Ishmaelite, Isle of Wight, Israelite, Jacobite, Jerseyite, Josephite, kilobyte, kimberlite, laborite, lazulite, leading light, Leavisite, Leninite, leukocyte, lily-white, localite, lymphocyte, macrophyte, magnetite, malachite, manganite, Marcionite, Masonite, megabyte, Mennonite, Minorite, Moabite, Mr. Right, muscovite, Muscovite, Nazirite, neophyte, oocyte, open sight, out-of-sight, overbite, overflight, overnight, oversight, overwrite, parasite, patent right, perovskite, phagocyte, pilot light, plebiscite, proselyte, Puseyite, pyrrhotite, recondite, reunite, rhyolite, running light, Saint Paulite, saprolite, Scottish rite, second sight, see the light, self-ignite, serve one right, shergottite, socialite, sodalite, sodomite, spider mite, Stagirite, Sydneyite, taconite, tanzanite, terabyte, time-of-flight, traffic light, transfinite, transvestite, tripartite, troglodyte, Trotskyite, Ulsterite, ultralight, underwrite, urbanite, vigil light, Wahhabite, water right, water sprite, watertight, Wycliffite, xerophyte, yesternight, zoophyte

sat·el·lite

noun \ˈsat-^əl-ˌīt\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SATELLITE

1

: a short segment separated from the main body of a chromosome by a constriction—called also trabant

2

: the secondary or later member of a chain of gregarines

3

: a bodily structure lying near or associated with another (as a vein accompanying an artery)

4

: a smaller lesion accompanying a main one and situated nearby

5

: a spectral line of low intensity having a frequency close to that of another stronger line to which it is closely related (as by having a common energy level)

—satellite adjective

satellite

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Natural object (moon) or spacecraft (artificial satellite) orbiting a larger astronomical body. Most known natural satellites orbit planets; the Earth's Moon is the most obvious example and was the only one known until the discovery of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter in 1610. All the solar system's planets except Mercury and Venus have moons, which vary greatly in size, composition (from rock to mostly ice), and activity (from cold and inert to volcanic). Some asteroids are also known to have their own moons. The first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into orbit around Earth in 1957. Since then, thousands have been sent into orbit around Earth as well as the Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and other bodies. Artificial satellites are used for scientific research and other purposes, such as communication (see communications satellite), weather forecasting, Earth resources management, and military intelligence. See also Landsat.