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

Word Icons

Examples of astronaut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In just over a week, four astronauts could launch toward the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. —Denise Chow, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026

Look to the sky this weekend for a chance to see February’s wintry full moon, which comes as four astronauts prepare to make a historic journey around the silvery orb. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026

The mission, which aims to take its astronauts deeper into space than ever before, will hopefully pave the way for the return of humans to the surface of the moon for the first time since the breakthrough Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s. —Brian Brant, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026

The wet dress rehearsal is the last major test SLS has to pass before being cleared to launch a crew of astronauts to the moon — that launch will mark the first time in over 50 years humans have headed toward Earth's natural satellite. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

astro- + -naut (in aeronaut)

Note: See note at astronautics.

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for astronaut

• aeronaut
• aforethought
• afterthought
• apricot
• argonaut
• camelot
• coffeepot
• concordat
• cosmonaut
• entrepot
• flowerpot
• huguenot

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