asterism

noun

as·​ter·​ism ˈa-stə-ˌri-zəm How to pronounce asterism (audio)
1
a
: a group of stars that form a pattern in the night sky
On October evenings, when the trees have shed their leaves and stars become visible through the twigs, our best-known asterism, the Big Dipper, passes under the north pole.George Lovi

Note: The term asterism does not now usually refer to a constellation but to a star pattern that makes up part of a constellation or that includes stars from more than one constellation.

b
: a small group of stars
2
: a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals by reflected light (as in a star sapphire) or by transmitted light (as in some mica)

Examples of asterism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Procyon, Sirius and Betelgeuse in Orion form the Winter Triangle asterism that is easy to see even from light-polluted locations in cities and suburbs. Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 27 Dec. 2024 Moon Nears Pleiades November and December are the best months to see the Pleiades star cluster, a shimmery asterism of more than 1,000 stars. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2024 Find the other two that make up the famous asterism — Deneb in Cygnus, above Vega, and Altair in Aquila, to the left. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 This asterism, located within the Taurus constellation, is a fan favorite among stargazers. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for asterism

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek asterísmos, from asterízein "to arrange in constellations" (from aster-, astḗr "star" + -izein -ize) + -ismos -ism — more at star entry 1

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of asterism was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Asterism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asterism. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

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