\Plan"et\, n. [OE. planete, F. plan[`e]te, L. planeta,
fr. Gr. ?, and ? a planet; prop. wandering, fr. ? to wander,
fr. ? a wandering.]
1. (Astron.) A celestial body which revolves about the sun in
   an orbit of a moderate degree of eccentricity. It is
   distinguished from a comet by the absence of a coma, and
   by having a less eccentric orbit. See {Solar system}.
Note: The term planet was first used to distinguish those
      stars which have an apparent motion through the
      constellations from the fixed stars, which retain their
      relative places unchanged. The inferior planets are
      Mercury and Venus, which are nearer to the sun than is
      the earth; the superior planets are Mars, the
      asteroids, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, which
      are farther from the sun than is the earth. Primary
      planets are those which revolve about the sun;
      secondary planets, or moons, are those which revolve
      around the primary planets as satellites, and at the
      same time revolve with them about the sun.
2. A star, as influencing the fate of a men.
         There's some ill planet reigns.       --Shak.
{Planet gear}. (Mach.) See {Epicyclic train}, under
   {Epicyclic}.
{Planet wheel}, a gear wheel which revolves around the wheel
   with which it meshes, in an epicyclic train.