satellite
noun
sat·el·lite
ˈsa-tə-ˌlīt 
1
a
: a celestial body orbiting another of larger size
b
: a manufactured object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another celestial body
2
: someone or something attendant, subordinate, or dependent
especially
: a country politically and economically dominated or controlled by another more powerful country
3
: a usually independent urban community situated near but not immediately adjacent to a large city
satellite
adjective
Examples of satellite in a Sentence
Satellites help meteorologists predict the weather.
Images of the planet are sent by satellite.
Recent Examples on the Web
Conventional metal satellites create aluminum oxide particles during re-entry, but wooden ones would just burn up with less pollution, Doi said.
—
Reuters, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Ukraine, the United States, NATO, and open-source satellites may not be able to differentiate whether Russia is transporting warheads for maintenance or security—or to a military base from which they might be launched.
—William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
After North Korea successfully launched its first spy satellite into orbit in November 2023, the South partially suspended the agreement by resuming surveillance flights.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
After the ballots are encrypted and uploaded into the space station’s on-board computer system, they are routed through a tracking and data relay satellite to a ground antenna at the NASA White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for satellite 
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Reuters, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Ukraine, the United States, NATO, and open-source satellites may not be able to differentiate whether Russia is transporting warheads for maintenance or security—or to a military base from which they might be launched.
—William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
After North Korea successfully launched its first spy satellite into orbit in November 2023, the South partially suspended the agreement by resuming surveillance flights.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
After the ballots are encrypted and uploaded into the space station’s on-board computer system, they are routed through a tracking and data relay satellite to a ground antenna at the NASA White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for satellite
Dictionary Entries Near satellite
Cite this Entry
“Satellite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satellite. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
satellite
noun
sat·el·lite
ˈsat-ᵊl-ˌīt
1
: an obsequious follower of a distinguished person : toady
2
a
: a heavenly body orbiting another of larger size
b
: a man-made object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another heavenly body
3
: a country controlled by a more powerful country
satellite
adjective
Etymology
from early French satellite "a person who follows or escorts someone of importance," from Latin satellit-, satelles "escort, attendant"
Word Origin
Although it is now closely connected with the modern world of space exploration, satellite is actually a very old word. Its origin can be traced to the Latin word satelles, meaning "one who escorts or follows after an important person." This is also the original meaning of satellite in English. Because such heavenly bodies as the moon can be thought of as "escorts" of the planets they orbit, they also became known as satellites. The satellites of modern times made by humans got their name because they, like the moon, orbit the earth.
Medical Definition
satellite
noun
sat·el·lite
ˈsat-ᵊl-ˌīt
1
: a short segment separated from the main body of a chromosome by a constriction
called also trabant
2
: the secondary or later member of a chain of gregarines
3
: a bodily structure lying near or associated with another (as a vein accompanying an artery)
4
: a smaller lesion accompanying a main one and situated nearby
5
: a spectral line of low intensity having a frequency close to that of another stronger line to which it is closely related (as by having a common energy level)
satellite
adjective
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