As"ter*oid (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; starlike, starry; 'asth`r star + &?; form: cf. F. astéroïde. See Aster.] A starlike body; esp. one of the numerous small planets whose orbits lie between those of Mars and Jupiter; -- called also planetoids and minor planets.

• (astronomy) A naturally occurring solid object, smaller than a planet, orbiting the Sun.
  

German
• asteroid