Word
astronomy
Phoneticsas·tron·o·my
US/əˈstɹɑnəmi/
UK/ɐstɹˈɒnəmi/
Definitions
01scientific study of space
n. the scientific study of the stars, planets, and other objects in the universe.
n. the scientific study of celestial objects and phenomena, including the physics, chemistry, and evolution of the universe beyond Earth's atmosphere.
“He spent his childhood reading books about astronomy and looking at the moon through a telescope.”
“Advances in radio astronomy have allowed researchers to observe distant galaxies that remain invisible to traditional optical telescopes.”
Pitfall
She is interested in astrology and the stars in the galaxy.
She is interested in astronomy and the stars in the galaxy.
Astronomy is the science of space; astrology is the belief that stars influence human lives.
Synonyms
02astrology
n. an old word for astrology, which is the belief that stars affect people's lives.
n. a historical synonym for astrology, referring to the divination of supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs.
“In very old books, the word astronomy sometimes meant predicting the future by the stars.”
“In certain Renaissance texts, the distinction between astronomy and astrology was blurred, with the former often encompassing the practice of casting horoscopes.”
Archaic
Teaching tip
This sense is archaic; modern speakers strictly distinguish between the science of astronomy and the pseudoscience of astrology.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English astronomie, astronemy, from Old French astronomie, equivalent to astro- + -nomy. Displaced native Old English tungolcræft.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
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englishreference.com/q/astronomy