noun
satellite
SA-tuh-lyt
noun
1
A man-made object placed in orbit around Earth or another body, used for communication, navigation, or observation.
"The weather forecast relies on images from a satellite."
"Engineers launched a new communications satellite into orbit."
2
A natural body, such as a moon, that orbits a larger one.
"The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite."
3
A smaller place or group that depends on, or is controlled by, a larger one.
"The town grew into a satellite of the nearby city."
How to Use Satellite
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that orbits something bigger — whether a man-made device in space, a moon, or a smaller place under a bigger one's influence.
Common pairings
a communications satellite
satellite TV
a satellite town
Word Forms
satellited past tense, satellites plural, satellites singular
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The weather forecast relies on images from a _____.
Etymology
From Latin satelles, meaning "attendant" or "bodyguard" — the modern space-age sense was a much later extension of the idea of something that follows and accompanies a larger body.