Word
draco
Phoneticsdra·co
/ˈdɹækoʊ/
Definition
n. a large group of stars in the northern sky that looks like a dragon. It is one of the oldest named patterns in the night sky.
n. a northern constellation representing a dragon, situated between Ursa Major and Lyra. When used in an astronomical context, it is typically capitalised.
Examples
“You can see Draco near the North Star.”
“Amateur astronomers often look for Draco because it winds around the Little Dipper in the northern sky.”
“The constellation Draco contains the north pole of the ecliptic and is home to the Cat's Eye Nebula, a planetary nebula with a complex structural history.”
Examples
simple
“You can see Draco near the North Star.”
contextual
“Amateur astronomers often look for Draco because it winds around the Little Dipper in the northern sky.”
complex
“The constellation Draco contains the north pole of the ecliptic and is home to the Cat's Eye Nebula, a planetary nebula with a complex structural history.”
Usage
Typically used as a proper noun and capitalised; functions as an uncountable mass in astronomical reference.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin Dracō, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek Δρᾰ́κων (Drắkōn). Doublet of dracone, dragon, and dragoon.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/draco