asteroid

Where does the word "asteroid" come from? It comes from Greek asteroeides, and was adopted directly into English (1802).

Asteroid’s story begins in Greek: asteroeides meant “star-shaped, star-like.” Literally star-like, from aster (star) and eidos (form). It reached English by 1802 as asteroid. Coined by astronomer William Herschel for the newly observed small star-like bodies. Today, asteroid means a small rocky body orbiting the sun, smaller than a planet.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient asteroeides "star-shaped, star-like", literally star-like, from aster (star) and eidos (form).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1802 asteroid "a small rocky body orbiting the sun", coined by astronomer William Herschel for the newly observed small star-like bodies.