Definition of astronaut
: a person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere; also : a trainee for spaceflight
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of astronaut from the Web
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The space suit worn by every U.S. astronaut since Project Apollo.
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The last thing NASA wants to do is deliver the first Martian astronauts straight into the lair of the Great Galactic Ghoul.
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That’s right, the powder form of the drink the astronauts took to the moon.
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Heroes and Legends, Kennedy Space Center, Florida At Heroes and Legends, augmented reality brings holograms of astronaut royalty to life.
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Buzz Aldrin, the former Apollo 11 U.S. astronaut who along with mission commander Neil Armstrong became one of the first two people to walk on the moon in 1969, was at the White House for the signing ceremony.
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The beloved Pixar film about a toy cowboy named Woody, his boy Andy, and Andy's new astronaut toy Buzz Lightyear is over 20 years old but its story endures even now.
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In that time, astronauts have walked on the moon and even endured more than a year in microgravity.
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Description: Learn about animal spies, animal astronauts, presidential pets and conservation of habitats.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'astronaut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of astronaut
astr- + -naut (as in aeronaut)
ASTRONAUT Defined for English Language Learners
astronaut
playDefinition of astronaut for English Language Learners
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: a person who travels in a spacecraft into outer space
ASTRONAUT Defined for Kids
astronaut
playDefinition of astronaut for Students
: a person who travels beyond the earth's atmosphere : a traveler in a spacecraft
Learn More about astronaut
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See words that rhyme with astronaut Spanish Central: Translation of astronaut Nglish: Translation of astronaut for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of astronaut for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about astronaut
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