satellite

noun sat·el·lite \ˈsa-tə-ˌlīt\

: an object (such as a moon) that moves around a much larger planet

: a machine that is sent into space and that moves around the earth, moon, sun, or a planet

: a country, organization, etc., that is controlled by a larger and more powerful country, organization, etc.

Full Definition of SATELLITE

: a hired agent or obsequious follower : minion, sycophant

a : a celestial body orbiting another of larger size

b : a manufactured object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another celestial body

: someone or something attendant, subordinate, or dependent; especially : a country politically and economically dominated or controlled by another more powerful country

: a usually independent urban community situated near but not immediately adjacent to a large city

: direct broadcast satellite

— satellite adjective

See satellite defined for English-language learners

See satellite defined for kids

Origin of SATELLITE

Middle French, from Latin satellit-, satelles attendant

First Known Use: circa 1548

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

Rhymes with SATELLITE

acolyte, aconite, aerolite, Ammonite, Amorite, amosite, anchorite, andesite, anthracite, antiwhite, apartheid, appetite, arsenite, azurite, Bakelite, bedlamite, Benthamite, biotite, bipartite, black-and-white, blatherskite, bleacherite, bring to light, Brooklynite, bryophyte, calamite, Canaanite, candlelight, Carmelite, Castroite, catamite, cellulite, cenobite, chalcocite, chestnut blight, Chinese white, columbite, coprolite, copyright, cryolite, crystallite, disinvite, disunite, divine right, dolerite, dolomite, dynamite, ebonite, epiphyte, eremite, erudite, expedite, extradite, featherlight, fight-or-flight, fly-by-night, gelignite, geophyte, gesundheit, gigabyte, Gilsonite, Hashemite, hematite, hemocyte, hessonite, Hitlerite, Houstonite, hug-me-tight, Hutterite, hyalite, Ibsenite, impolite, inner light, Ishmaelite, Isle of Wight, Israelite, Jacobite, Jerseyite, Josephite, kilobyte, kimberlite, laborite, lazulite, leading light, Leavisite, Leninite, leukocyte, lily-white, localite, lymphocyte, macrophyte, magnetite, malachite, manganite, Marcionite, Masonite, megabyte, Mennonite, Minorite, Moabite, Mr. Right, muscovite, Muscovite, Nazirite, neophyte, oocyte, open sight, out-of-sight, overbite, overflight, overnight, oversight, overwrite, parasite, patent right, perovskite, phagocyte, pilot light, plebiscite, proselyte, Puseyite, pyrrhotite, recondite, reunite, rhyolite, running light, Saint Paulite, saprolite, Scottish rite, second sight, see the light, self-ignite, serve one right, shergottite, socialite, sodalite, sodomite, spider mite, Stagirite, Sydneyite, taconite, tanzanite, terabyte, time-of-flight, traffic light, transfinite, transvestite, tripartite, troglodyte, Trotskyite, Ulsterite, ultralight, underwrite, urbanite, vigil light, Wahhabite, water right, water sprite, watertight, Wycliffite, xerophyte, yesternight, zoophyte

SATELLITE Defined for Kids

satellite

noun sat·el·lite \ˈsa-tə-ˌlīt\

Definition of SATELLITE for Kids

: a smaller body that revolves around a planet

: an object or vehicle sent out from the earth to revolve around the earth, moon, sun, or a planet

Medical Dictionary

satellite

noun sat·el·lite \ˈsat-^əl-ˌīt\

Medical Definition of SATELLITE

: a short segment separated from the main body of a chromosome by a constriction—called also trabant

: the secondary or later member of a chain of gregarines

: a bodily structure lying near or associated with another (as a vein accompanying an artery)

: a smaller lesion accompanying a main one and situated nearby

: a spectral line of low intensity having a frequency close to that of another stronger line to which it is closely related (as by having a common energy level)

—satellite adjective