Meanings
nounastronaut (plural astronauts)
plural astronauts
- A member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft that travels beyond Earth's atmosphere, or someone trained to serve that purpose.
- An American space traveler, when contrasted against equivalent terms from other countries such as cosmonaut, taikonaut, spationaut, and vyomanaut.
Though from different social, economic, and political worlds, the astronauts and cosmonauts had much in common, both as professionals and human beings.
2013, Edward Clinton Ezell, Linda Neuman Ezell, The Partnership: A NASA History of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, Courier Corporation, →ISBN2 more examples
The American astronauts in the competing Mercury program may have joked about being “Spam in a can,” but it seems clear that Korolev wanted to have plenty of cosmonauts on hand in case another rocket blew up.
2021 April 12, Gregory McNamee, “This Soviet cosmonaut was the first human in orbit — fueling the space race”, in CNNLongtime NASA astronaut Don Pettit, who has ventured to space four times, returned to Earth on Saturday night from the International Space Station. Pettit, who turned 70 on Sunday, landed at 9:20 p.m. ET in a Soyuz spacecraft with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner near Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, after a seven-month stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. […] Space doesn't just appear dark to astronauts aboard the space station.
2025 April 19, Ashley Strickland, “An astronaut’s awe-inspiring views from life in space”, in CNN
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekἄστρον“star”
- Englishastronaut
From astro- + -naut. Coined from Ancient Greek ἄστρον (ástron, “star”) and ναύτης (naútēs, “sailor”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans astronout
- astronoutmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Arabic رَجُل فَضَاء, رَائِد فَضَاء
- رَجُل فَضَاء (rajul faḍāʔ)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- رَائِد فَضَاء (rāʔid faḍāʔ)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- مَلَّاح فَضَائِيّ (mallāḥ faḍāʔiyy)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Bengali নভোচারী
- নভোচারী (nobhōcari)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Bulgarian астрона́вт, астрона́втка
- астрона́вт (astronávt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- астрона́втка (astronávtka)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- космона́вт (kosmonávt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- космона́втка (kosmonávtka)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Catalan astronauta
- astronautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Chinese Cantonese 太空人, 宇航員 /宇航员
- 太空人 (taai³ hung¹ jan⁴)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 宇航員 /宇航员 (jyu⁵ hong⁴ jyun⁴)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 航天員 /航天员 (hong⁴ tin¹ jyun⁴)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 宇宙飛行員 /宇宙飞行员 (jyu⁵ zau⁶ fei¹ hang⁴ jyun⁴)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Chinese Mandarin 太空人, 宇航員 /宇航员
- 太空人 (tàikōngrén)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 宇航員 /宇航员 (yǔhángyuán)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 航天員 /航天员 (hángtiānyuán)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 宇宙飛行員 /宇宙飞行员 (yǔzhòu fēixíngyuán)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Czech kosmonaut, astronaut
- kosmonautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Danish astronaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Dutch ruimtevaarder, astronaut
- ruimtevaardermember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautemember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Esperanto astronaŭto, astronaŭtino
- astronaŭtomember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronaŭtinomember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- kosmonaŭtomember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- kosmonaŭtinomember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Estonian kosmoselendur, kosmonaut
- kosmoselendurmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- kosmonautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- tähelendurmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- taikonaut (CN)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Finnish astronautti, avaruuslentäjä
- astronauttimember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- avaruuslentäjämember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
French astronaute
- astronautemember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
German Astronaut, Raumfahrer
- Astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- Raumfahrermember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- Kosmonautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- Weltraumpilotmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- Raumpilotmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Greek αστροναύτης
- αστροναύτης (astronáftis)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Hebrew אַסְטְרוֹנָאוּט
- אַסְטְרוֹנָאוּט (astronáut)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Hindi अंतरिक्ष यात्री, खगोलयात्री
- अंतरिक्ष यात्री (antrikṣ yātrī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- खगोलयात्री (khagolyātrī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- अंतरिक्षयात्री (antrikṣayātrī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- अंतरालयात्री (antrālyātrī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- गगनयात्री (gaganyātrī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- व्योमयात्री (vyomyātrī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- गगनगामी (gagangāmī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- व्योमगामी (vyomgāmī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- व्योमनॉट (vyomnŏṭ)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- गगननॉट (gagannŏṭ)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- गगनॉट (gagnŏṭ)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Hungarian asztronauta, űrhajós
- asztronautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- űrhajósmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- űrhajósnőmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Icelandic geimfari
- geimfarimember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Indonesian astronot, antariksawan
- astronotmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- antariksawanmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- antariksawatimember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Irish spásaire
- spásairemember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Italian astronauta
- astronautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Japanese 宇宙飛行士, アストロノート
- 宇宙飛行士 (uchū hikōshi)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- アストロノート (asutoronōto)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- 宇宙人 (uchūjin)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Korean 우주비행사
- 우주비행사 (ujubihaengsa)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Latvian astronauts, astronaute
- astronautsmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautemember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Lithuanian astronautas, astronautė
- astronautasmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautėmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Malay angkasawan
- angkasawanmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Māori kaipōkai tuarangi
- kaipōkai tuarangimember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Norwegian Bokmål astronaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Polish astronauta, astronautka
- astronautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautkamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- kosmonautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- kosmonautkamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Portuguese astronauta
- astronautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Punjabi ਖਗੋਲਯਾਤਰੀ
- ਖਗੋਲਯਾਤਰੀ (khagolyātarī)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Romanian astronaut, astronaută
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronautămember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Russian космона́вт, космона́втка
- космона́вт (kosmonávt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- космона́втка (kosmonávtka)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- астрона́вт (astronávt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- астрона́втка (astronávtka)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Slovak astronaut, kozmonaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- kozmonautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Spanish astronauta
- astronautamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Swahili mwanaanga
- mwanaangamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Swedish astronaut
- astronautmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Tagalog astronawta, astronot
- astronawtamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- astronotmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Tamil விண்ணோடி
- விண்ணோடி (viṇṇōṭi)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Thai มนุษย์อวกาศ
- มนุษย์อวกาศ (má-nút-à-wá-gàat)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Turkish astronot, uzay adamı
- astronotmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- uzay adamımember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- uçurcumember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Ukrainian космона́вт, космона́втка
- космона́вт (kosmonávt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- космона́втка (kosmonávtka)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- астрона́вт (astronávt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- астрона́втка (astronávtka)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Urdu خَلا نَوَرْد, خَلانَوَرْد
- خَلا نَوَرْد (xalā navard)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- خَلانَوَرْد (xalānavard)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- خَلاء نَوَرْد (xalā' navard)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- خَلا باز (xalā bāz)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- خَلاء باز (xalā' bāz)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Vietnamese nhà du hành vũ trụ, phi hành gia
- nhà du hành vũ trụmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
- phi hành giamember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Welsh gofodwr
- gofodwrmember of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Yiddish אַסטראָנויט
- אַסטראָנויט (astronoyt)member of the crew of a spaceship or other spacecraft, or someone trained for that purpose — see also cosmonaut
Cite this entry
APA
astronaut. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/astronaut
MLA
“astronaut.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/astronaut. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “astronaut,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/astronaut.
Source: astronaut on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.