sat·el·lite

[sat-l-ahyt]
noun
1.
Astronomy. a natural body that revolves around a planet; a moon.
2.
a country under the domination or influence of another.
3.
something, as a branch office or an off-campus facility of a university, that depends on, accompanies, or serves something else.
4.
an attendant or follower of another person, often subservient or obsequious in manner.
5.
a device designed to be launched into orbit around the earth, another planet, the sun, etc.
adjective
6.
of, pertaining to, or constituting a satellite: the nation's new satellite program.
7.
using an earth-orbiting satellite to transmit communications signals; transmitted or broadcast by satellite: satellite radio and TV.
8.
subordinate to another authority, outside power, or the like: summoned to a conference of satellite nations.
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Satellite is a TOEFL word you need to know.
So is tangible. Does it mean:
capable of being touched; discernible by the touch; material or substantial.
a regard for what is politic or advantageous rather than for what is right or just; a sense of self-interest.
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Origin:
1540–50; 1955–60 for def 2; < Latin satellit- (stem of satelles) attendant, member of bodyguard or retinue

Related forms
sat·el·lit·ed, adjective

Synonyms
4. follower, supporter, companion, associate; lackey, parasite, sycophant, toady, flunky.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
satellite (ˈsætəˌlaɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  a celestial body orbiting around a planet or star: the earth is a satellite of the sun
2.  See also communications satellite Also called: artificial satellite a man-made device orbiting around the earth, moon, or another planet transmitting to earth scientific information or used for communication
3.  a person, esp one who is obsequious, who follows or serves another
4.  a country or political unit under the domination of a foreign power
5.  a subordinate area or community that is dependent upon a larger adjacent town or city
6.  (modifier) subordinate to or dependent upon another: a satellite nation
7.  (modifier) of, used in, or relating to the transmission of television signals from a satellite to the house: a satellite dish aerial
 
—vb
8.  (tr) to transmit by communications satellite
 
[C16: from Latin satelles an attendant, probably of Etruscan origin]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

satellite
1548, "follower or attendant of a superior person," from M.Fr. satellite (14c.), from L. satellitem (nom. satelles) "attendant," perhaps from Etruscan satnal (Klein), or a compound of roots *satro- "full, enough" + *leit- "to go" (Tucker); cf. Eng. follow, which is constructed of similar roots. Meaning
"planet that revolves about a larger one" first attested 1665, in reference to the moons of Jupiter, from L. satellites, which was used in this sense 1611 by Ger. astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). Galileo, who had discovered them, called them Sidera Medicæa in honor of the Medici family. Meaning "man-made machinery orbiting the Earth" first recorded 1936 as theory, 1957 as fact. Meaning "country dependent and subservient to another" is recorded from 1800.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

satellite sat·el·lite (sāt'l-īt')
n.

  1. A minor structure accompanying a more important or larger one.

  2. A short segment of a chromosome separated from the rest by a constriction, typically associated with the formation of a nucleolus.

  3. A colony of microorganisms whose growth in culture medium is enhanced by certain substances produced by another colony in its proximity.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
satellite   (sāt'l-īt')  Pronunciation Key 


(click for larger image in new window)

  1. A small body in orbit around a larger body. See Note at moon.

  2. An object launched to orbit Earth or another celestial body. Satellites are used for research, communications, weather information, and navigation. The first artificial Earth satellite was Sputnik 1, launched by the Soviet Union in October 1957; the first successful American satellite was launched in January 1958.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

satellite definition


In politics, a nation that is dominated politically by another. The Warsaw Pact nations, other than the former Soviet Union itself, were commonly called satellites of the Soviet Union.

satellite definition


In astronomy, an object, whether natural (such as the moon) or artificial (such as a weather observation satellite), that revolves around a central body. (See under “World Politics.”)

satellite definition


Any object in orbit about some body capable of exerting a gravitational (see gravitation) force. Artificial satellites in orbit around the Earth have many uses, including relaying communication signals, making accurate surveys and inventories of the Earth's surface and weather patterns, and carrying out scientific experiments.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
There was a small generator and a satellite hookup for television.
However, this could make the missile crucially dependent on a satellite system
  itself highly vulnerable to enemy action.
Live broadcasts have started up on satellite radio, and digital relays are
  planned for movie theatres around the country.
Eleven turtles equipped with satellite transmitters are on a voyage of
  scientific discovery.
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