planet

Where does the word "planet" come from? It comes from Greek planetes, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Planet’s story begins in Greek: planetes meant “a wanderer.” Literally a wanderer, describing the stars that appeared to move against the fixed backdrop of the sky. It reached English by 1200s as planet. Settled as the English word for a large body orbiting the sun. Today, planet means a large celestial body that orbits a star, such as the sun.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient planetes "a wanderer", literally a wanderer, describing the stars that appeared to move against the fixed backdrop of the sky.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s planet "a large celestial body orbiting a star", settled as the English word for a large body orbiting the sun.