astronomer

What it means

1. astronomyOne who studies astronomy, the stars or the physical universe; a scientist whose area of research is astronomy or astrophysics.

   At the observatory on Mauna Kea on Hawaii, a young astronomer, Heidi Hammel, focuses a huge telescope on the remote planet.

   1990 August, Rick Gore, “Neptune: Voyager's Last Picture Show”, in National Geographic, volume 178, number 2, page 35

   2 more examples

   Pioneering American astronomer Vera Rubin once mentored fellow aspiring female astronomers and advocated for women in science. It’s fitting that the first national US observatory named for a female astronomer is in her honor.

   2020 January 7, Ashley Strickland, “First US observatory named in honor of a female astronomer, Vera Rubin”, in CNN

   But none of those brown dwarfs were speeding along on a trajectory that would carry them out of the galaxy like “runaway” hypervelocity stars observed by astronomers in the last two decades.

   2024 August 21, Ashley Strickland, “An unusual object is moving so fast it could escape the Milky Way. Scientists aren’t certain what it is”, in CNN

   Synonyms: astro-boffin, astronomist

In a sentence

At the observatory on Mauna Kea on Hawaii, a young astronomer, Heidi Hammel, focuses a huge telescope on the remote planet.

1990 August, Rick Gore, “Neptune: Voyager's Last Picture Show”, in National Geographic, volume 178, number 2, page 35

Where it comes from

1. Middle Englishastronomer
2. Englishastronomer

From Middle English astronomer, equivalent to astronomy + -er. Displaced native Old English tungolcræftiga.