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

At the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts are anticipating a partial view of the solar eclipse from space. —Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2024

Other countries are also preparing to populate the moon, with China announcing a 2030 target for astronauts to arrive on the lunar surface and India’s arrival intended by 2040. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024

While astronauts will pilot the LTV during their expeditions, the vehicle will be specifically designed for remote control once the Artemis crew is back home on Earth. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 Apr. 2024

The trio will develop their team’s ideas for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to help astronauts explore the Moon’s south polar region. —Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 3 Apr. 2024

The rovers would allow astronauts to traverse more of the lunar surface, especially as NASA seeks to explore the lunar South Pole, where there is ice in the permanently shadowed craters. —Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024

For the United States, American astronauts have not set foot on the moon since the last Apollo mission in 1972. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

One that has crispier chicken and happier astronauts. —Susan Howson, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024

Garten also catches up with astronaut Nicole Mann—the first Indigenous woman astronaut who went to space and spent 157 days on the International Space Station. —Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

astro- + -naut (in aeronaut)

Note: See note at astronautics.

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

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