Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A constellation in the region of the north celestial pole near Draco and Leo, containing the seven stars that form the Big Dipper. Also called Great Bear.
Wiktionary
- n. astronomy A large circumpolar constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a bear. It includes the familiar asterism the Big Dipper and the stars Mizar, Dubhe, and Alkaid.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. the Great Bear, one of the most conspicuous of the northern constellations. It is situated near the pole, and contains the stars which form the
Dipper , orCharles's Wain , two of which are thePointers , or stars which point towards the North Star.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a constellation outside the zodiac that rotates around the North Star
Etymologies
- From Latin ursa maior, the "greater bear" (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, from Latin Ursa Māior : ursa, bear + māior, comparative of magnus, great. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“The gruffness of Ursa Major should never be likened to that of the Sage of Chelsea.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘Ursa Major’.
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Constellations
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognizes 88 official constellations.
Orion, Taurus, Andromeda, Aquila, Lyra, Boötes, Cygnus, Canis Major, Cassiopeia, Auriga, Lupus, Pyxis and 76 more...
Tweets
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