planetary

adjective

plan·​e·​tary ˈpla-nə-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: of, relating to, being, or resembling a planet

b

: erratic, wandering

c

: having a motion like that of a planet

planetary electrons

d

: immense

the scope of this project has reached planetary proportions

2

a

: of, relating to, or belonging to the earth : terrestrial

b

: global, worldwide

planetary politics

3

: having or consisting of an epicyclic train of gear wheels

Synonyms of planetary

• vast
• giant
• huge
• gigantic
• astronomical
• tremendous
• enormous
• massive
• colossal
• mammoth
• monumental
• bumper
• immense
• cosmic
• galactic
• titanic
• mountainous
• oceanic
• monster
• grand
• monstrous

Examples of planetary in a Sentence

a positively planetary new shopping development

Recent Examples on the Web

That influence travels through the fluid environment in the atmosphere via planetary waves, said Jonathan Rutz, an atmospheric scientist at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

If instead funding comes from NASA’s far smaller planetary-science coffers, however, barring a significant budget boost, something else must die for Skyfall to fly. —David W. Brown, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2026

The moon may still appear full Tuesday and Thursday, said Noah Petro, chief of NASA’s planetary geology, geophysics and geochemistry laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. —Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026

Even so, the film's planetary vistas and space travel tech wouldn't feel out of place in space operas that followed decades later. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing planetary

• planetary nebula
• planetary science

Rhymes for planetary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

planetary

adjective

plan·​e·​tary ˈplan-ə-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: of or relating to a planet

b

: having a motion like that of a planet

planetary electrons of the atomic nucleus

2

: worldwide, global

a matter of planetary concern