astronavigator
|as-tro-nav-i-ga-tor|
🇺🇸
/ˌæstrəˈnævɪɡətər/
🇬🇧
/ˌæstrəˈnævɪɡeɪtə/
navigate by stars
Etymology
'astronavigator' originates from the Greek element 'astron' (ἀστήρ/ἄστρον) meaning 'star' and the Latin-derived word 'navigator' from Latin 'navigare' meaning 'to sail'; the compound thus literally means 'one who sails (or navigates) by the stars.'
'astronavigator' is a modern English compound formed from the combining form 'astro-' (from Greek 'astron') + 'navigator' (via Latin 'navigare' and Middle English/Modern English 'navigator'); related formations such as 'astronavigation' (navigation by the stars) appeared earlier, and 'astronavigator' developed as a logical agent noun in modern usage, including technical and literary contexts.
Initially coined to denote a person who navigates by celestial bodies (primarily in maritime and aviation contexts), the term has broadened to include fictional and spacefaring senses (a spacecraft's navigator) without losing the original nautical/astronomical nuance.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who navigates by the stars or other celestial bodies; a celestial navigator used in maritime or aerial navigation.
The ship's astronavigator checked the positions of several stars to fix their latitude.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in science fiction or space contexts, a crew member who navigates a spacecraft using stellar charts, instruments, or fictional astronavigational techniques.
In the novel, the astronavigator guided the starship through the nebula using an ancient stellar map.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/08 13:30