[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/asteroid/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [A](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/a/) / asteroid

# asteroid

noun (an asteroid, asteroids)

«asteroid» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An asteroid is a rocky or metal object in space, smaller than a planet, that goes around the Sun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#m1)
2. Asteroids range from the size of a pebble or boulder to hundreds of kilometres across. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science (space) most asteroids are in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists think a huge asteroid that hit the Earth helped to wipe out the dinosaurs. A small piece that falls through the air and glows is a meteor; one that lands is a meteorite. Space agencies watch for asteroids that come near Earth.

### Examples

- Most asteroids orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#x1)
- A giant asteroid may have caused the dinosaurs to die out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#x2)
- Some asteroids are as big as a city. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#x3)
- Scientists track asteroids that come close to Earth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#x4)
- A spacecraft landed on an asteroid and collected dust. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#x5)
- Asteroids are smaller than planets and moons. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/#x6)

### Note

Countable. Asteroid, comet, meteor: an asteroid is rocky; a comet is icy and grows a tail near the Sun; a meteor is the streak of light («shooting star») when a small piece burns up in the air. A meteorite is a piece that reaches the ground.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «asteroid» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asteroid/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«asteroid» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/asteroid.html) on Mova free.