noun
cosmonaut
KOZ-muh-nawt
Cosmonaut (noun) means an astronaut, especially one from Russia or the former Soviet Union. Example: “Yuri Gagarin became the first cosmonaut to orbit the Earth in 1961.”
noun
1
An astronaut, especially one from Russia or the former Soviet Union.
"Yuri Gagarin became the first cosmonaut to orbit the Earth in 1961."
"Khrushchev’s answer came 60 years ago, on April 12, 1961, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin circled the Earth aboard a spacecraft called Vostok 1."
— Gregory McNamee, This Soviet cosmonaut was the first human in orbit — fueling the space race (2021)
How to use cosmonaut
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe Russian/Soviet word for a space traveler, roughly equivalent to "astronaut."
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Word forms
- Plural
- cosmonauts
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Yuri Gagarin became the first _____ to orbit the Earth in 1961.
Etymology
From Russian kosmonavt, built from Greek kosmos ("universe") and nautes ("sailor") — the Russian counterpart to "astronaut."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for cosmonaut
See all rhymes for cosmonaut →Frequently asked questions
What does “cosmonaut” mean?
The word “cosmonaut” means an astronaut, especially one from Russia or the former Soviet Union. In plain terms, the Russian/Soviet word for a space traveler, roughly equivalent to "astronaut.".
How do you pronounce “cosmonaut”?
“Cosmonaut” is pronounced KOZ-muh-nawt (/ˈkɑz.məˌnɔt/ in IPA).
How do you use “cosmonaut” in a sentence?
Here is “cosmonaut” used in a sentence: “Yuri Gagarin became the first cosmonaut to orbit the Earth in 1961.”
What part of speech is “cosmonaut”?
“Cosmonaut” is a noun.
Where does the word “cosmonaut” come from?
The word “cosmonaut” comes from Greek. From Russian kosmonavt, built from Greek kosmos ("universe") and nautes ("sailor") — the Russian counterpart to "astronaut.".
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