cosmonaut

noun

cos·​mo·​naut ˈkäz-mə-ˌnȯt 

-ˌnät

: an astronaut of the Soviet or Russian space program

Examples of cosmonaut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to cosmonauts Platonov, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky, ISS Expedition 73 consists of NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Jonny Kim and Zena Cardman, as well as JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 Nov. 2025

Also aboard the station is NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who reached the ISS in April with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky on a Soyuz capsule launching from Kazakhstan. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025

American astronauts have, for years now, been flying to the ISS aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft, and, since 2022, Russian cosmonauts have been flying aboard America's SpaceX Crew Dragon ships. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 31 Oct. 2025

Expedition One Commander William Shepherd of NASA and Soviet cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko arrived at the station on Nov. 2. —Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Russian kosmonavt, from Greek kosmos + Russian -navt (as in aeronavt aeronaut)

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cosmonaut

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

Kids Definition

cosmonaut

noun

cos·​mo·​naut ˈkäz-mə-ˌnȯt 

-ˌnät

: a Soviet or Russian astronaut