Word Study
Constellation
CIDE DICTIONARY
Constellation, n. [F. constellation, L. constellatio.].
- A cluster or group of fixed stars, or division of the heavens, designated in most cases by the name of some animal, or of some mythologial personage, within whose imaginary outline, as traced upon the heavens, the group is included. [1913 Webster]" In each of the constellations now recognized by astronomers (about 90 in number) the brightest stars, both named and unnamed, are designated nearly in the order of brilliancy by the letters of the Greek alphabet; as,
" [1913 Webster] "The constellations seem to have been almost purposely named and delineated to cause as much confusion and inconvenience as possible." [1913 Webster] - An assemblage of splendors or excellences. [1913 Webster]"The constellations of genius had already begun to show itself . . . which was to shed a glory over the meridian and close of Philip's reign." [1913 Webster]
- Fortune; fate; destiny. [1913 Webster]"It is constellation, which causeth all that a man doeth." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Constellation, n.
1 a group of fixed stars whose outline is traditionally regarded as forming a particular figure.
2 a group of associated persons, ideas, etc.
1 a group of fixed stars whose outline is traditionally regarded as forming a particular figure.
2 a group of associated persons, ideas, etc.
Etymology
ME f. OF f. LL constellatio -onis (as com-, stella star)
THESAURUS
Constellation
Antlia, Antlia Pneumatica, Apus, Aquarius, Ara, Big Dipper, Caela Sculptoris, Caelum, Camelopardus, Cancer, Columba Noae, Corona Australis, Corona Borealis, Corvus, Crater, Crux, Dorado, Draco, Equuleus, Friday, Friday the thirteenth, Gemini, Grus, Hercules, Horologium, Hydra, Lacerta, Leo, Leo Minor, Lepus, Libra, Little Dipper, Lupus, Lynx, Lyra, Malus, Mensa, Microscopium, Monoceros, Musca, Norma, Northern Cross, Octans, Ophiuchus, Orion, Pegasus, Phoenix, Reticulum, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Sculptor, Scutum, Sextans, Southern Cross, Taurus, Telescopium, Triangulum, Triangulum Australe, Tucana, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Vela, Virgo, Volans, Vulpecula, appointed lot, astral influences, astrology, big name, book of fate, celebrity, cup, cynosure, destination, destiny, dies funestis, doom, end, fatality, fate, figure, folk hero, foredoom, fortune, future, galaxy, great man, hero, heroine, ides of March, idol, immortal, important person, inevitability, kismet, lion, lot, luminaries, luminary, man of mark, master spirit, moira, name, notability, notable, person of note, personage, planets, pleiad, pop hero, popular hero, popular idol, portion, public figure, social lion, somebody, star, stars, superstar, the Balance, the Bull, the Crane, the Cross, the Crow, the Cup, the Dragon, the Fly, the Foal, the Hare, the Indian, the Lion, the Lizard, the Lynx, the Lyre, the Mast, the Octant, the Rule, the Sails, the Sea Serpent, the Serpent, the Serpent Bearer, the Sextant, the Southern Crown, the Swan, the Table, the Telescope, the Toucan, the Twins, the Unicorn, the Virgin, the Water Bearer, the Wolf, the Wreath, unlucky day, weird, wheel of fortune, will of Heaven, worthyROGET THESAURUS
Constellation
Repute
N repute, distinction, mark, name, figure, repute, reputation, good repute, high repute, note, notability, notoriety, eclat, the bubble reputation, vogue, celebrity, fame, famousness, renown, popularity, aura popularis, approbation, credit, succes d'estime, prestige, talk of the town, name to conjure with, glory, honor, luster, illustriousness, account, regard, respect, reputableness, respectability, good name, good report, fair name, dignity, stateliness, solemnity, grandeur, splendor, nobility, majesty, sublimity, rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status, position, position in society, order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi, caste, condition, greatness, eminence, height, importance, preeminence, supereminence, high mightiness, primacy, top of the ladder, top of the tree, elevation, ascent, superaltation, exaltation, dignification, aggrandizement, dedication, consecration, enthronement, canonization, celebration, enshrinement, glorification, hero, man of mark, great card, celebrity, worthy, lion, rara avis, notability, somebody, classman, man of rank, pillar of the state, pillar of the church, pillar of the community, chief, first fiddle, cynosure, mirror, flower, pink, pearl, paragon, choice and master spirits of the age, elite, star, sun, constellation, galaxy, ornament, honor, feather in one's cap, halo, aureole, nimbus, halo of glory, blaze of glory, blushing honors, laurels, memory, posthumous fame, niche in the temple of fame, immortality, immortal name, magni nominis umbra, distinguished, distingue, noted, of note, honored, popular, fashionable, in good odor in, favor, in high favor, reputable, respectable, creditable, remarkable, notable, notorious, celebrated, renowned, ion every one's mouth, talked of, famous, famed, far-famed, conspicuous, to the front, foremost, in the front rank, in the ascendant, imperishable, deathless, immortal, never fading, aere perennius, time honored, illustrious, glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, bright, full-blown, honorific, eminent, prominent, high, in the zenith, at the head of, at the top of the tree, peerless, of the first water, superior, supereminent, preeminent, great, dignified, proud, noble, honorable, worshipful, lordly, grand, stately, august, princely, imposing, solemn, transcendent, majestic, sacred, sublime, heaven- born, heroic, sans peur et sans reproche, sacrosanct, Int, hail!, all hail!, ave!, viva!, vive!, long life to!, banzai!, glory be to, honor be to?, one's name being in every mouth, one's name living for ever, sic itur ad astra, fama volat, aut Caesar aut nullus, not to know him argues oneself unknown, none but himself could be his parallel, palmam qui meruit ferat, above all Greek above all Roman fame, cineri gloria sera est, great is the glory for the strife is hard, honor virtutis praemium, immensum gloria calcar habet, the glory dies not and the grief is past, vivit post funera virtus.World
N world, creation, nature, universe, earth, globe, wide world, cosmos, kosmos, terraqueous globe, sphere, macrocosm, megacosm, music of the spheres, heavens, sky, welkin, empyrean, starry cope, starry heaven, starry host, firmament, Midgard, supersensible regions, varuna, vault of heaven, canopy of heaven, celestial spaces, heavenly bodies, stars, asteroids, nebulae, galaxy, milky way, galactic circle, via lactea, ame no kawa, sun, orb of day, Apollo, Phoebus, photosphere, chromosphere, solar system, planet, planetoid, comet, satellite, moon, orb of night, Diana, silver-footed queen, aerolite, meteor, planetary ring, falling star, shooting star, meteorite, uranolite, constellation, zodiac, signs of the zodiac, Charles's wain, Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Great Bear, Southern Cross, Orion's belt, Cassiopea's chair, Pleiades, colures, equator, ecliptic, orbit, astronomy, uranography, uranology, cosmology, cosmography, cosmogony, eidouranion, orrery, geodesy, star gazing, star gazer, astronomer, observatory, planetarium, cosmic, cosmical, mundane, terrestrial, terrestrious, terraqueous, terrene, terreous, telluric, earthly, geotic, under the sun, sublunary, subastral, solar, heliacal, lunar, celestial, heavenly, sphery, starry, stellar, sidereal, sideral, astral, nebular, uranic, in all creation, on the face of the globe, here below, under the sun, die Weltgeschichte ist das Weltergesicht, earth is but the frozen echo of the silent voice o, green calm below, blue quietness above, hanging in a golden chain this pendant World, nothing in nature is unbeautiful, silently as a dream the fabric rose, some touch of nature's genial glow, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, through knowledge we behold the World's creation.Luminary
N luminary, light, flame, spark, scintilla, phosphorescence, fluorescence, sun, orb of day, Phoebus, Apollo, Aurora, star, orb, meteor, falling star, shooting star, blazing star, dog star, Sirius, canicula, Aldebaran, constellation, galaxy, zodiacal light, anthelion, day star, morning star, Lucifer, mock sun, parhelion, phosphor, phosphorus, sun dog, Venus, aurora, polar lights, northern lights, aurora borealis, southern lights, aurora australis, lightning, chain lightning, fork lightning, sheet lightning, summer lightning, ball lightning, kugelblitz, phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, scintillator, phosphor, firefly luminescence, ignis fatuus, Jack o'lantern, Friar's lantern, will-o'-the- wisp, firedrake, Fata Morgana, Saint Elmo's fire, glowworm, firefly, June bug, lightning bug, anglerfish, gas, gas light, lime light, lantern, lanthorn, dark lantern, bull's-eye, candle, bougie, taper, rushlight, oil, wick, burner, Argand, moderator, duplex, torch, flambeau, link, brand, gaselier, chandelier, electrolier, candelabrum, candelabra, girandole, sconce, luster, candlestick, lamp, light, incandescent lamp, tungsten bulb, light bulb, flashlight, torch, arc light, laser, maser neon bulb, neon sign, fluorescent lamp, filament, socket, contacts, filler gas, firework, fizgig, pyrotechnics, rocket, lighthouse, self-luminous, glowing, phosphoric, phosphorescent, fluorescent, incandescent, luminescent, chemiluminescent, radiant, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels, the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky, the planets in their station list'ning stood, the Scriptures of the skies, that orbed continent, the fire that severs day from night.For further exploring for "Constellation" in Webster Dictionary Online