Planet
/ˈplæn.ɪt/noun
A celestial body that orbits a star and does not shine by its own light.
Did you know?In Greek astrology, the planets were the “wandering stars,” and their motions were treated as signs that could shape fate, timing, and ritual decisions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pele-
“to spread, to scatter, to wander”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πλανήτης (planḗtēs)
“wanderer, roaming star”
Late Latin
Latin
planēta
“wandering star”
Old French
Old French
planete
“planet, wandering celestial body”
Middle English
English
planete
“wandering star; one of the seven heavenly bodies known to antiquity”
Modern English
English
planet
“a celestial body orbiting a star”