| 释义 |
asteroid, a. and n.|ˈæstərɔɪd|
[ad. Gr. ἀστεροειδής star-like, f. ἀστήρ star: see -oid.]
A. adj.
1. Star-shaped, star-like.
1854Dallas Anim. Kingd. (1856) 52 The asteroid polypes are all compound animals. 1880Wallace Isl. Life xiv. 296 The woody Asteroid forms.
2. Zool. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the Asteroidea.
1888Rolleston & Jackson Anim. Life 5 The Asteroid larva closely resembles the Holothurioid. 1900F. A. Bather et al. Echinoderma 3 No sharp line can be drawn between Asteroid and Ophiuroid structure.
B. n.
1. Name given to the numerous minute planetary bodies revolving round the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter; called also planetoids and minor planets.
1802Herschel in Phil. Trans. XCII. 228 From this, their asteroidical appearance, if I may use that expression..I shall take my name, and call them Asteroids. 1875Proctor Exp. Heaven 114 Not a year passes without the recognition of two or three and sometimes ten or twelve..asteroids.
†2. A meteor. Obs.
1830Goodrich (P. Parley) Sun Moon and Stars lvii. (1837) 296 By the term ‘November Asteroïds’ it is the shooting or falling stars that are spoken of. 1849M. Somerville Connex. Phys. Sc. xxxvii. 447 They [the meteorites] are asteroids revolving about the sun.
3. Hence applied to a kind of fire-work.
1875Times 4 Nov. 1/6 (Advt.) Rockets with pearl stars..Asteroids changing colours while sailing through the air.
4. Zool. A star-fish of the class Asteroidea.
1841E. Forbes Brit. Starfishes i. 3 The Crinoids as analogues of the Polypes are lower than the Asteroids. 1888Rolleston & Jackson Anim. Life 563 The apical system of plates is well defined in the young Asteroid. 1900F. A. Bather et al. Echinoderma 14 The Asteroids were probably the last group to branch off from the fixed Echinoderms. 1921Chamber's Jrnl. XI. 502/1 The mauve of these beautiful asteroids blends perfectly with the soft gray sands of the North Pacific. |
