Word
constellation
Phoneticscon·stel·la·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌkɑnstəˈɫeɪʃən/
UK/kɒnstɪlˈeɪʃən/
Countable noun Astronomy
Definition
n. a group of stars that forms a pattern in the sky and has a name. You can see these shapes at night, like the Big Dipper or Orion.
n. a group of stars forming a recognisable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure.
Examples
“The Big Dipper is a famous constellation.”
“Ancient sailors used the position of each constellation to navigate across the open ocean at night.”
“Modern astronomers divide the celestial sphere into eighty-eight official constellations, providing a standardised map that allows researchers to precisely locate and share the coordinates of newly discovered celestial bodies.”
Examples
simple
“The Big Dipper is a famous constellation.”
contextual
“Ancient sailors used the position of each constellation to navigate across the open ocean at night.”
complex
“Modern astronomers divide the celestial sphere into eighty-eight official constellations, providing a standardised map that allows researchers to precisely locate and share the coordinates of newly discovered celestial bodies.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' when describing a group of related things ('a constellation of ideas').
Real-World Examples
“We turn our attention this week to one of the sky’s smallest constellations.” “The object was lurking in the constellation of Cetus, the Whale, billions of light years from Earth.” “In 2019, astronomers noticed a strange dimming in the light from Betelgeuse , a bright red star in the Orion constellation.” “It is located in the constellation Aquila near Altair, one of the well-known stars that forms the Summer Triangle.” Etymology
PIE word *ḱóm From Middle English constellacioun, constillacioun (“(astrology) position of the moon or a planet in relation to the ascendant sign of the zodiac; horoscope; (astronomy) formation of fixed stars, constellation; (astronomy) elevation or position of the sun”) [and other forms], borrowed from Old French constellation (modern French constellation), or directly from its etymon Late Latin cōnstēllātiōnem, the accusative singular of cōnstēllātiō (“collection of stars supposed to exert an influence upon human affairs, constellation”), from Latin con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of several objects) + stēlla (“star; meteor; planet”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr (“star”)) + -ātiō (suffix forming nouns).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/constellation