astronaut
UK /ˈæs.trə.nɔːt/ US /ˈæs.trə.nɑːt/ Syllables: as-tro-naut
Quick answer
A person who is trained to travel and work in space.
An astronaut is a person who is trained to travel and work in space. Astronauts fly in rockets and spend time on a space station, where they do experiments, repair equipment and look after their health. They train for years to prepare for life without gravity. Astronauts wear special suits for walking outside the spacecraft, and they have to follow a strict daily plan. The word is used in the United States and Europe, and in Russia a space traveler is called a cosmonaut.
"The astronaut floated inside the space station."Example sentences
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"The astronaut waved from the window of the space station."
Level A2
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"She dreams of becoming an astronaut."
Level A1
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"The astronauts returned to Earth safely."
Level A2
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"An astronaut must be fit and calm."
Level A2
Look-alikes and common mistakes
- cosmonaut : A cosmonaut is a space traveler trained by Russia. An astronaut is trained by other countries.
- pilot : A pilot flies a plane or a spacecraft. An astronaut can be a pilot, a scientist or both.
Word family and forms
Forms: astronauts
Word partners
Words and phrases that often go with "astronaut".
- train as an astronaut
- a space astronaut
- an astronaut's suit
- the first astronaut
- an astronaut on the moon
- become an astronaut
Origin
Astronaut was formed in English in the late 1920s and early 1930s from the Greek words astron, meaning star, and nautes, meaning sailor. It was modeled on the word aeronaut, a balloon traveler, and was probably helped by the French word astronaute.
Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.
How to remember it
Astronaut is astro plus naut. Astro means star and naut means sailor: a star sailor.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "The _____ waved from the window of the space station."
Answer: astronaut
In your own words, what does "astronaut" mean?
A person who is trained to travel and work in space.
Learn next at A1
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Sources and credits
- Wiktionary, the free dictionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Dictionary.com · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
Last reviewed October 20, 2026. Report a mistake on this page