astronomer

noun

as·tron·o·mer ə-ˈsträ-nə-mər

: a person who is skilled in astronomy or who makes observations of celestial phenomena

Examples of astronomer in a Sentence

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Seven years after the SpaceX CEO launched a Tesla Roadster into orbit, astronomers from the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts confused it with an asteroid earlier this month. —

Brie Stimson, Fox News, 25 Jan. 2025 Weather Patterns in Our Solar System Measuring Particle Movement The astronomers first measured how the light of WASP-127b’s host star travels through the planet's upper atmosphere. —

Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025 Roughly 100 years ago, our neighboring spiral galaxy was discovered by American astronomer Edwin Hubble. —

Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025 Just two weeks later is the Flagstaff Star Party, which includes astronomers with telescopes and billions of stars. —

Carole Rosenblat, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for astronomer

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "one versed in astronomy or astrology," from astronomie astronomy + -er -er entry 2

Note: Alternatively, Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, and Middle English Dictionary see the English word as derived from Medieval and Late Latin astronomus "astronomer" (borrowed from Greek astronómos) plus the agent suffix -er.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of astronomer was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century