exoplanet
2 synonyms for exoplanet, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A planet that orbits a star other than the Sun, outside our own solar system.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
exosolar planet
extrasolar planet
How to use exoplanet
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
discover an exoplanet
an exoplanet's orbit
a newly found exoplanet
habitable exoplanet
It is a standard scientific term, at home in both academic writing and general news coverage of astronomy.
Etymology
Exoplanet is a modern coinage built from the Ancient Greek element exo-, meaning outside or extrasolar, joined to the word planet.
Full origin of exoplanet →Frequently asked questions
What is an exoplanet?
An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star other than our own Sun, meaning it lies outside our solar system.
How is an exoplanet different from a normal planet?
There's no difference in kind, only location: a planet becomes an exoplanet once it's found orbiting a star that isn't the Sun.
Are exoplanets and extrasolar planets the same thing?
Yes, extrasolar planet and exosolar planet are simply other terms for the same thing as exoplanet.
