Cosmonauts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who are specifically prepared to travel and work in outer space
2. Professionals engaged in the exploration of space, typically involving extensive training and scientific knowledge
3. People who undergo specialized preparation for missions in space, particularly affiliated with Russian or Soviet space programs

Etymology: "Cosmonauts" is the plural of "cosmonaut," a word that reached English from Russian, where "kosmonávt" was formed from two Greek elements: "kósmos," meaning "universe" or "order," and "naútēs," meaning "sailor." The second half is the same root that gives English "nautical" and "astronaut," so the word is literally a "universe-sailor." The Russian coinage follows the pattern of English "astronaut," which was built from Greek "astron" (star) and the same "naútēs." Both words were formed in the twentieth century to name people who travelled beyond the Earth's atmosphere, so the Greek sailors they recall never sailed anywhere near outer space.

Synonyms: astronauts, space travelers