a. and sb. [ad. Gr. ἀστεροειδής star-like, f. ἀστήρ star: see -OID.]
A. adj. Star-shaped, star-like.
1854. Dallas, Anim. Kingd. (1856), 52. The asteroid polypes are all compound animals.
1880. Wallace, Isl. Life, xiv. 296. The woody Asteroid forms.
B. sb.
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.
1802. Herschel, in Phil. Trans., XCII. 228. From this, their asteroidical appearance, if I may use that expression, therefore, I shall take my name, and call them Asteroids.
1875. Proctor, Exp. Heaven, 114. Not a year passes without the recognition of two or three and sometimes ten or twelve … asteroids.
† 2. A meteor. Obs.
1830. Goodrich (P. Parley), Sun Moon and Stars, lvii. (1837), 296. By the term ‘November Asteroids’ it is the shooting or falling stars that are spoken of.
1849. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sc., xxxvii. 447. They [the meteorites] are asteroids revolving about the sun.
3. Hence applied to a kind of fire-work.
1875. Times, 4 Nov., 1/6 (Advt.), 6 rockets with pearl stars…. 2 Asteroids, changing colours while sailing through the air.
