celestial body

noun

variants or less commonly celestial object

plural celestial bodies also celestial objects

: an aggregation of matter in the universe (such as a planet, star, or nebula) that can be considered as a single unit (as for astronomical study)

But many scientists began seriously rethinking their notions of the solar system in 1992, when we identified a small celestial body—just a few hundred kilometers across—sited farther from the sun than any of the known planets.

—Jane X. Luu et al.

As the observer looks at a star or other celestial body its light rays pass through a single point on the earth's surface.

—Dutton's Navigation and Piloting, 14th edition

A black hole forms when a star or other celestial object collapses under the pull of its own gravity.

—Mary Durack Miller

called also heavenly body

Examples of celestial body in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For that reason, these celestial bodies are sometimes also referred to as extrasolar planets. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 June 2025

The summer solstice falls this month, occurring on June 20, which means that the sun typically appears higher in the sky and moon seems closer to the horizon because the celestial bodies are positioned on opposite sides of Earth. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 10 June 2025

Celestial Park has an otherworldly theme focused on the cosmos and celestial bodies. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 13 May 2025

Pluto was previously considered to be the ninth planet in our solar system, but the new definition of a planet requires the celestial body to have enough gravity to clear its orbital path from other bodies. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 2 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for celestial body

• passamaquoddy
• afterbody
• antibody
• busybody
• everybody
• autoantibody
• bawdy
• gaudy
• khadi
• mahdi
• noddy
• oddi