'planet' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'planētēs', where 'planān' meant 'to wander'.

'planet' passed into Latin as 'planeta', then into Old French and Middle English before becoming the modern English word 'planet'.

Initially, it meant 'wanderer' (a body that appears to move relative to the fixed stars), and over time it came to mean the specific class of celestial bodies we now call 'planets'.