interstellar planet

Meaning

Noun

• a planetary-mass object which has either been ejected from its system or was never gravitationally bound to any star or other such object, and that therefore orbits the galaxy directly.

Related

Similar words

• free-floating planet
• nomad planet
• orphan planet
• rogue planet

Origin

• Constructed from Latin: inter- + stellar. The latter derives from Middle English planete, from Old English planēta ("planet, chasuble"), from Latin planeta, planetes, from Ancient Greek πλανήτης variant of πλάνης, from πλανάω, of unknown origin. Perhaps from a Proto-Indo-European *pel- ("to wander, roam"), cognate with Latin pālor ("wander about, stray"), Old Norse flana ("to rush about"), Norwegian flanta ("to wander about"). More at flaunt.