Planetarium
/ˌplæn.ɪˈtɛə.ri.əm/noun
A building or device for projecting images of the stars and planets, or a place for observing them.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek *planētēs* (“wanderer”), because the planets were the “wandering stars” that moved against the fixed constellations, a cosmic pattern later turned into a modern machine for recreating the heavens.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pleh₂-
“to fly, float, or spread”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πλανήτης (planētēs)
“a wanderer; specifically a wandering star or planet”
Late Latin
Latin
planetarium
“an instrument or place relating to the planets”
Middle English
English
planetarie / planetarium
“an astronomical device or system associated with the planets”
Modern English
English
planetarium
“a theater or dome for showing the sky, stars, and planets”