Dictionary

sputnik en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈspʌtnɪk/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈspʊtnɪk/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sem- Proto-Indo-European *sm̥- Proto-Balto-Slavic *san? Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm? Proto-Slavic *sъ(n) Russian с- (s-) Proto-Indo-European *pent- Proto-Indo-European *póntoh₁s Proto-Balto-Slavic *pántis Proto-Slavic *pǫtь Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Balto-Slavic *-inas Proto-Slavic *-ьnъ Proto-Indo-European *-eykos Proto-Balto-Slavic *-eikas Proto-Slavic *-ikъ Proto-Slavic *-ьnikъ Proto-Slavic *pǫtьnikъ Russian пу́тник (pútnik) Russian спу́тник (spútnik)bor. English sputnik From Russian спу́тник (spútnik, “satellite”, literally “fellow traveller”), from с- (s-, “with, together”) + пу́тник (pútnik, “traveller”), from путь (putʹ, “way, journey”) + agent suffix -ник (-nik).

Meanings

1. (historical) Any of a series of Soviet robotic space satellites, especially the first one in 1957.
   • Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik, we had no idea how we would beat them to the moon. The science wasn't even there yet. NASA didn't exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn't just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs. This is our generation's Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven't seen since the height of the Space Race. And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. 2011 January 5, Barack Obama; Jon Favreau, speechwriter, “Remarks by the President in State of Union Address”, in White House Office of the Press Secretary, WhiteHouse.gov, archived from the original on 06 May 2016:
2. (dated) Any artificial satellite.
   • In Britain, before we had the news of the launching of the Russian and just now the American sputniks, we learned the news that American planes carrying H-bombs, which they could deliver on Russia at very short notice, are continuously in the air. 1971, Shenandoah, volumes 9-10, page 4:
   • BEFORE school rocketed into his tiny world with about as much warning as a sputnik, my son knew only little hates. 1957 November 14, Sputnik [pseudonym], “My Son Hates School”, in Daily Record, number 19,357, Glasgow: Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2, column 2:
   • This is but one of the facts which should demonstrate to those who would build British sputniks that such extravagances will be a disservice to the whole country until the supply of scientists has been multiplied many times. 1958 October 23, Gemnius, "It seems to me", New Scientist, page 1120
   • Of course, long before this reliable systems of meteorological sputniks, world-wide television sputniks, navigation sputniks, etc., will be created. 1965, The Contemporary:
   • With this program, we could bring water to the Middle East. We could rebuild some of our sagging esteem in that part of the world; we could insure that in this area at least we would have our sputniks abreast the Russians', and we could do our own economy a priceless good turn. 1958, Clinton P. Anderson, statement on the Senate floor, quoted in, Legislative history: Saline water conversion act, page 783
3. (slang) The currency sign ¤.

Forms

Deriveds

muttnik · Sputnik moment

Translations (81)

fr spoutnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ms sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · hy սպուտնիկ (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · kn ಸ್ಪುಟ್ನಿಕ್ (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ba спутник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · tg спутник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · mk спу́тник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ka სპუტნიკი (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ru спу́тник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · hi स्पुटनिक (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · eo sputniko (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ko 스푸트니크 (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · fa سپوتنیک (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ug سپۇتنىك (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ru иску́сственный спу́тник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · km ស្ពុតនីក (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · bg спъ́тник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · be спу́тнік (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ps سپوتنیک (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · tk sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · lv sputņiks (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · sh sputnjik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · da sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ml സ്പുട്നിക് (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · kk спутник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ar سْبُوتْنِيك (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · kmr spûtnîk (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ar سْبُوتْنِيك (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · el σπούτνικ (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · bn স্পুতনিক (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · et sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · vi xpút-nhích (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · yue 史撥尼克 /史拨尼克 (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · si ස්පුට්නික් (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ur سپوتنک (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · th สปุตนิก (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · hi स्पुतनिक (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ta ஸ்புட்னிக் (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · pt esputinique (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · sh спутњик (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · he סְפּוּטְנִיק (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ja スプートニク (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · sv sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · pt sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ur اسپتنک (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · sl sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · pl sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · nl spoetnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · sq sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · uz sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · cs sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · cmn 斯普特尼克 (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · te స్పుత్నిక్ (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · lt sputnikas (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · cmn 人造地球衛星 /人造地球卫星 (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · tr sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · sk sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · yi ספּוטניק (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · mn спутник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · hu szputnyik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · tt спутник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · vi vệ tinh nhân tạo (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · be спадаро́жнік (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · fa اسپوتنیک (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · is spútnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · az sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · uk супу́тник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · tl sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · id sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · bg спу́тник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · uk спу́тнік (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · gl sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · am ስፐትኒክ (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · nb sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · ky спутник (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · de Sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · es sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · pl satelita (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · fi sputnik (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · my စပွတ်နစ် (a Soviet robotic space satellite) · pl sztuczny satelita (a Soviet robotic space satellite)

wikipedia: Sputnik 1 · wikipedia: National Air and Space Museum