astronaut

[as-truh-nawt, -not]

noun

1. a person engaged in or trained for spaceflight.

astronaut

/ ˈæstrəˌnɔːt /

noun

1. a person trained for travelling in space See also cosmonaut

astronaut

1. A crew member of a space mission launched by the United States. (See Apollo program and Mercury program.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of astronaut¹

1925–30; astro- + (aero)naut, probably via French astronaute; astronautical

Word History and Origins

Origin of astronaut¹

C20: from _astro- + -naut from Greek nautēs sailor, on the model of aeronaut

Example Sentences

As for Aldrin’s takes on the matter, a 2022 Reuters article debunked one of the most popular clips used to implicate the former astronaut, which was was taken out of very critical context.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Their breakthrough restored the full precision of one of the telescope's key instruments, achieving what would once have required a costly astronaut repair mission.

Read more on Science Daily

Last year he was one of the astronauts on the European Space Agency’s journey to the International Space Station.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I was reading a magazine article on the Gemini astronauts. I was probably nine years old, and I thought that's the coolest thing. That's what I want to do," she says.

Read more on BBC

Inside one darkened room in the show, a life-size, glass “portrait” of the astronaut Lawrence appears to be levitating as if free from gravitational forces.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cosmonaut 
• pilot