asteroid belt

American  

[as-tuh-roid belt] / ˈæs təˌrɔɪd ˌbɛlt /

noun

Astronomy.

1. the region in space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, containing the greatest population of asteroids in our solar system: comprising about half the mass of the asteroid belt are its four largest asteroids, namely, Ceres, Pallas, Vesta, and Hygieia.

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asteroid belt Cultural  

1. A region of the solar system between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. Most asteroids are found in the asteroid belt.

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Etymology

Origin of asteroid belt

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Changes in the spacecraft's velocity will appear in the Doppler shift of those radio signals, allowing engineers to quickly determine Psyche's updated speed and trajectory after it departs Mars and continues toward the asteroid belt.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

Its surface would lie even further from the asteroid belt, meaning all of us including planet Mars would be in the belly of the red beast.

From Space Scoop • Aug. 20, 2025

The asteroid, which scientists refer to as 2024 PT5, hails from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which contains rocks that follow an orbit quite similar to Earth’s.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2024

The Arjuna asteroid belt contains a diverse array of asteroids and comets which periodically wander into our neighborhood.

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2024

She used telescopes to study near-Earth asteroids—those close enough to the edge of the asteroid belt that they could escape and come toward Earth!

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas