Situated or occurring close to the earth, specifically designating an asteroid or comet in an orbit that nearly intersects that of the earth (and so may one day collide with the planet).
Origin
1950s; earliest use found in Science.
Definition of near-earth in US English:
near-earth
adjective
Astronomy
Situated or occurring close to the earth, specifically designating an asteroid or comet in an orbit that nearly intersects that of the earth (and so may one day collide with the planet).