pianeta

/ˈpja.ne.ta/
nounBeginner planet
formal

A celestial body that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own.

Marte è un pianeta del sistema solare.

Mars is a planet in the solar system.

💡

In astronomy, 'pianeta' refers to any of the eight major planets orbiting the Sun, as well as exoplanets orbiting other stars.

technical

A celestial body that orbits a star, is spherical due to its own gravity, and has cleared its orbit of other debris.

Plutone non è più considerato un pianeta a causa della sua orbita non pulita.

Pluto is no longer considered a planet due to its unclean orbit.

💡

This definition aligns with the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) 2006 definition of a planet.

figurative

A person, thing, or place that is central or dominant in a particular sphere or context.

Roma è stata il pianeta della politica romana.

Rome was the planet of Roman politics.

💡

This figurative use is poetic or literary and less common in everyday language.

Collocations

pianeta nanodwarf planetpianeta extrasolareexoplanetpianeta abitabilehabitable planet

Related Phrases

vita extraterrestrephrase
extraterrestrial life

💡Pro Tip

Remembering the planets

A mnemonic to remember the order of the planets in the solar system is: 'Margherita Ti Manda Una Nave Grigia, Solo Uova.' (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).

Gold Rule

Gender and number

Always use the masculine singular form 'il pianeta' and plural 'i pianeti' in Italian. The word is never feminine.

📖Word Origin

From Latin 'planēta', from Ancient Greek 'πλανήτης' (planētēs, 'wanderer'), from 'πλανάω' (planáō, 'to wander'), referring to the apparent motion of planets across the sky.

📝Usage Notes

In Italian, 'pianeta' is always masculine ('il pianeta', 'i pianeti'). The plural 'pianeti' follows regular Italian noun conjugation rules.

Word Breakdown

pian-
wandering (from Greek 'planētēs')
root
+
-eta
noun suffix
suffix
Dizionario Italiano-Inglese