satellite

noun sat·el·lite \ ˈsa-tə-ˌlīt \

Definition of satellite

1 :a hired agent or obsequious follower :minion, sycophant

2 a :a celestial body orbiting another of larger size

b :a manufactured object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another celestial body

3 :someone or something attendant, subordinate, or dependent; especially :a country politically and economically dominated or controlled by another more powerful country

4 :a usually independent urban community situated near but not immediately adjacent to a large city

5 :direct broadcast satellite

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satellite

adjective

See satellite defined for English-language learners

See satellite defined for kids

Examples of satellite in a Sentence

Satellites help meteorologists predict the weather.
Images of the planet are sent by satellite.

Recent Examples of satellite from the Web

Entertainment systems, satellite radios, every engine part and even the headlights are connected to a car’s master computer.

— bill collins ford, The Courier-Journal, "A New Generation’s Automotive Experience," 30 Aug. 2017
Where: Barnes Tennis Center (main site) and San Diego State (satellite location).

— glae thien, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Rancho Bernardo standout taking aim at USTA crown," 2 Aug. 2017
Yet the issue has emerged in other divisions at the company and has cast a shadow over its $15 billion bid for Sky, the European satellite giant.

— emily steel, New York Times, "Lawsuit Asserts White House Role in Fox News Article on Seth Rich," 1 Aug. 2017
The U.S. government has fought a cold cyber war for years to protect its satellites, modern weapons and the American power and communications grids.

— lee roop, AL.com, "New Cyber Camp will teach campers to use computer powers for good," 28 July 2017
Iran has pursued a satellite launch program for years.

— adam schreck, The Seattle Times, "Iran claims launch of satellite-carrying rocket into space," 27 July 2017
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is rocketing up satellites for a spacebound network that might begin to deliver better internet speeds than a standard cable line in two years.

— scott canon, kansascity, "Better internet access could rejuvenate rural America, but how do you get it there?," 17 July 2017
But that moniker actually refers to the troubadour-championing Sirius XM satellite radio show sponsoring their joint concert trek.

— george varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Josh Radin, Rachael Yamagata 'Coffee House' tour hits North Park Saturday," 13 July 2017
Geospatial Intelligence, or GEOINT, includes imagery, like a high-resolution satellite photos of troop movements in another country.

— cindy otis, Teen Vogue, "Intelligence Analysis in the United States, Explained," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'satellite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of satellite

Middle French, from Latin satellit-, satelles attendant

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1548

See Words from the same year

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

SATELLITE Defined for English Language Learners

satellite

noun

Definition of satellite for English Language Learners

: an object (such as a moon) that moves around a much larger planet
: a machine that is sent into space and that moves around the earth, moon, sun, or a planet
: a country, organization, etc., that is controlled by a larger and more powerful country, organization, etc.

SATELLITE Defined for Kids

satellite

noun sat·el·lite \ ˈsa-tə-ˌlīt \

Definition of satellite for Students

1 :a smaller body that revolves around a planet

2 :an object or vehicle sent out from the earth to revolve around the earth, moon, sun, or a planet

Medical Dictionary

satellite

noun sat·el·lite \ ˈsat-ᵊl-ˌīt \

medical Definition of satellite

1 :a short segment separated from the main body of a chromosome by a constriction — called also trabant

2 :the secondary or later member of a chain of gregarines

3 :a bodily structure lying near or associated with another (as a vein accompanying an artery)

4 :a smaller lesion accompanying a main one and situated nearby

5 :a spectral line of low intensity having a frequency close to that of another stronger line to which it is closely related (as by having a common energy level)

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