Definition

A person who is trained to travel into space and work on a spacecraft.

Example

The astronaut floated in zero gravity while conducting experiments.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about becoming an astronaut?

That would be amazing! I love space and science.

Right? I think it would be incredible to see Earth from up there as an astronaut.

Totally! Plus, the training must be really intense but rewarding.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Astronaut is formed from "astro-" (from Greek "astron", meaning star) and "naut" (from Greek "nautes", meaning sailor). The word describes a sailor of the stars, referring to someone who travels in space.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'sailor' ('naut') navigating among the 'stars' ('astro-') — that's why an astronaut is someone who travels in space.

Visually Confused Words