asteroid - Dictionary definition and pronunciation - Yahoo! Education

Definition of asteroid

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as·ter·oid  audio  (st-roid) KEY 

NOUN:
  1. Astronomy Any of numerous small celestial bodies that revolve around the sun, with orbits lying chiefly between Mars and Jupiter and characteristic diameters between a few and several hundred kilometers. Also called minor planet, planetoid.
  2. Zoology See starfish.
ADJECTIVE:
also as·ter·oi·dal  (st-roidl) KEY 
Star-shaped.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek asteroeids, starlike : astr, star; see ster-3 in Indo-European roots + -oeids, -oid


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