satellite
n
1
(a) natural body in space orbiting round a larger body, esp a planet 衛(wèi)星
The moon is the Earth's satellite. 月球是地球的衛(wèi)星.
(b) man-made device, eg a space station, put in orbit round a planet 人造衛(wèi)星
a com,muni`cations satellite, ie one that relays back to the Earth telephone messages or radio and TV signals received from another part of the Earth 通信衛(wèi)星. => illus at orbit 見orbit插圖.
2 (also `satellite state) (usu derog 通常作貶義) country dependent on another more powerful country and controlled by it 衛(wèi)星國(依附於某大國并受其控制者)
the former USSR and its satellites 前蘇聯(lián)及其衛(wèi)星國.