solar-system
UK[ˈsəʊlə ˌsɪstəm]US[ˈsoʊlɚ ˌsɪstəm]
n
The sun together with the group of planets and other celestial bodies that are held by its gravitational attraction and revolve around it.
Morpheme Breakdown
solar
system
solar
of the sun
system
organized group
Etymology
The term "solar system" is a compound noun formed in the early 18th century to describe the astronomical arrangement centered on our sun. The first element, "solar," derives from the Latin 'sōl', the word for the sun, which can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root sóh₂wl̥. The second element, "system," originates from the Greek 'sustēma', meaning a whole composed of several parts, itself from 'sun-' (together) and 'histanai' (to cause to stand). Literally, the compound means "a system pertaining to the sun," which perfectly captures its modern scientific definition: the organized whole of bodies bound by gravity to our central star.
Analysis
Structure: solar (of the sun) + system (organized group)
solar: From Latin 'sōlāris', from 'sōl' (sun). An adjective-forming suffix meaning "of or pertaining to the sun".
system: From Greek 'sustēma', from 'sun-' (together) + 'histanai' (to set up, stand). A noun meaning a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole.
Examples
Earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.
Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets in other solar systems.
The Voyager probes have traveled beyond the outer reaches of our solar system.