Pleiades

plural noun

Ple·​ia·​des ˈplē-ə-ˌdēz How to pronounce Pleiades (audio)
ˈplā-,
chiefly British
ˈplī- How to pronounce Pleiades (audio)
1
: the seven daughters of Atlas turned into a group of stars in Greek mythology
2
: a conspicuous cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus that includes six stars in the form of a very small dipper

Examples of Pleiades in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Binoculars will get your eyes on 100 or so stars in the Pleiades, also called the Seven Sisters. — Jamie Carter, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 New research founded upon a simulation using NASA’s Pleiades supercomputer has proposed that the Oort cloud takes on this spiral as a result of a phenomenon known as the Galactic tide, centered around gravitational forces. — Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2025 In fact, the Pleiades star cluster is one of my favorite sights when stargazing at home in Cleveland. — Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2025 Jupiter is also accompanied by two naked-eye star clusters (the Pleiades and Hyades) and an entourage of other bright winter stars, the most notable of which is orange Aldebaran which marks the angry eye of the constellation of Taurus the Bull and lies in relatively close proximity below Jupiter. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Pleiades

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pleiades was in the 14th century

Rhymes for Pleiades

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Pleiades
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Cite this Entry

“Pleiades.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pleiades. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

Pleiades

plural noun
Ple·​ia·​des ˈplē-ə-ˌdēz How to pronounce Pleiades (audio)
: a loose cluster of stars in Taurus that is easily seen by a person with average sight

More from Merriam-Webster on Pleiades

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Pleiades

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