Ma’anar ƙamus na “planetoid” wani ɗan ƙaramin jiki ne na sama wanda yake kewaya rana kuma yayi kama da tauraro a cikin sifofinta na zahiri amma bai isa ya kawar da kewayenta daga wasu tarkace ba, wanda galibi ana kiransa dwarf planet. Kalmar “planetoid” wani lokaci ana amfani da ita tare da “kananan duniya” ko “asteroid,” kodayake waɗannan sharuɗɗan na iya samun ma’anoni kaɗan kaɗan a wasu mahallin.