planet (English)

Where does "planet" come from?

The English word 'planet' traces back to Middle English 'planete'[1][5], which came from Old French 'planete'[1][5] and Latin 'planeta'[1][2]. These forms derive from the Ancient Greek 'planḗtēs'[1][2][3], meaning 'wanderer'[1], which originated as an ellipsis of 'astéres planêtai' or 'wandering stars'[1]. The Greek term is built from 'planáō'[1][3], meaning 'wander about, stray'[1]. The celestial bodies received this name because they exhibit apparent motion across the night sky, unlike the fixed stars[1].

Open questions

The ultimate origin of the Ancient Greek verb 'planáō' remains unknown, with some proposals suggesting a connection to a reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root meaning to wander or roam. [1] [4] [5]

Full etymology tree

planet (English), 'Each of the seven major bodies which move relative to the fixed stars in the night sky—the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.'
- inherited planete (Middle English), 'Each of the seven celestial bodies seen as moving relative to the rest of the stars: the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.'
  - inherited planete (Old French), 'planet (celestial body that orbits a star)'
    - inherited planeta (Latin), 'planet (wandering star)'
      - inherited πλανήτης (planḗtēs) (Ancient Greek), 'wanderer, vagabond'
        derived πλανάω (planáō) (Ancient Greek), 'to make to wander, lead wandering about'

Ancestors

planete (Middle English)
planete (Old French)
planeta (Latin)
πλανήτης (Ancient Greek)
πλανάω (Ancient Greek)

Cognates and doublets

palor (Latin)

Descendants and derived words

antiplanet (English)
aquaplanet (English)
blanet (English)
deplanetize (English)
gas giant planet (English)
homeplanet (English)
interplanetary (English)
multiplanet (English)
nonplanet (English)
on what planet (English)
planetal (English)
planetality (English)

Sources

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris