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aquanaut

noun
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aqua·​naut | \ ˈä-kwə-ˌnȯt How to pronounce aquanaut (audio) , ˈa-, -ˌnät \

Definition of aquanaut

: a scuba diver who lives and operates both inside and outside an underwater shelter for an extended period
Aquanaut Has Greek Roots Example Sentences Learn More about aquanaut

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Aquanaut Has Greek Roots

Aquanaut combines aqua with the Greek nautes, meaning "sailor". Like astronaut and aeronaut, the word may remind you of those mythical Greek heroes known as the Argonauts, who sailed with Jason on his ship, the Argo, in quest of the Golden Fleece. Various underwater habitats for aquanauts, such as Conshelf, SEALAB, and MarineLab, have captured the public imagination since the 1960s.

Examples of aquanaut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Last month, a crew of aquanauts and astronauts surfaced after spending nine days in an undersea habitat known as the Aquarius Reef Base, located 62 feet below the ocean surface off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. — Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, "NASA Scientists and Astronauts Practice for Space Missions on the Seafloor," 29 July 2019 Ari D’Agostino was joined by aquanaut Shirley Pomponi, a marine biologist at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute of Florida Atlantic University, and NASA astronaut candidate Jessica Watkins. — Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, "NASA Scientists and Astronauts Practice for Space Missions on the Seafloor," 29 July 2019 Within seconds, aquanaut Robert Carmichael and I were enveloped by a vibrant shade of blue, watching streaks of sunlight pierce the water’s surface. — David Keyton, The Seattle Times, "Off the Seychelles, a dive into a never-seen landscape," 13 Apr. 2019 There, four aquanauts at a time can practice living and working in an environment that really wasn’t meant for humans to inhabit. — Philip Toledano, National Geographic, "8 Amazing Places You Can Visit ‘Mars’ on Earth," 12 Dec. 2016 There, four aquanauts at a time can practice living and working in an environment that really wasn’t meant for humans to inhabit. — Philip Toledano, National Geographic, "8 Amazing Places You Can Visit ‘Mars’ on Earth," 12 Dec. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aquanaut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of aquanaut

1881, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for aquanaut

Latin aqua + English -naut (as in aeronaut)

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Time Traveler for aquanaut

Time Traveler

The first known use of aquanaut was in 1881

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Cite this Entry

“Aquanaut.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aquanaut. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with aquanaut

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