Planet Definition

plănĭt

planets

noun

planets

Any of the celestial objects with apparent motion (as distinguished from the apparently still stars), including the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn.

Webster's New World

Now, a large, opaque, nonluminous mass, usually with its own moons, that revolves about a star; esp., one of the sun's eight major planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune: until recently, Pluto had been classified as the ninth major planet.

Webster's New World

Any of the celestial bodies regarded as influencing human lives: traditionally, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the sun and moon.

Webster's New World

The collection of life forms supported on Earth.

An asteroid that threatened the whole planet.

American Heritage

People as a whole; humankind or the general public.

The entire planet was affected by the global recession.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Planet

Noun

Singular:

planet

Plural:

planets

Origin of Planet

From Middle English planete, from Old English planÄ“ta (“planet, chasuble"), from Latin planeta, planetes, from Ancient Greek πλανήτης (planÄ“tÄ“s) variant of πλάνης (planÄ“s, “wanderer, planet"), from Ancient Greek πλανάω (planáō, “wander about, stray"), of unknown origin. Perhaps from a Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“to wander, roam"), cognate with Latin pālor (“wander about, stray"), Old Norse flana (“to rush about"), Norwegian flanta (“to wander about"). More at flaunt.

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old French planete from Late Latin planēta from Greek planētēs variant of planēs planēt- from planāsthai to wander pelə-² in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition