The Greek word for "planet" is πλανήτης (planḗtēs), which means "wanderer." This term originates from the ancient Greek word πλανάω (planáō) meaning "to wander about" or "to stray." In antiquity, the Greeks called planets "wandering stars" (πλάνητες ἀστέρες) because they appeared to move differently in the night sky compared to fixed stars.