Meanings
big dipper1
nounbig dipper (plural big dippers)
plural big dippers
- A rollercoaster.
Big Dipper riding / Oh, we'll give the local lads a hiding
1976, “Big Dipper”, in Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!, performed by Jethro Tull1 more example
You could have a big dipper / Going up and down, all around the bends
1986, Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”, in So
Big Dipper2
proper nounthe Big Dipper
- USespeciallyastronomyA bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky, said to resemble a ladle or cart, and a part of the constellation Ursa Major which includes the stars Mizar, Dubhe, and Alkaid. The other stars comprising it are Alioth, Megrez, Merak, and Phecda.First known use 1845
Synonyms: Charles' Wain, Drinking Gourd, Northern Ladle, Northern Waggoner, Plough, Wain, Wagon, Great Wagon
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky, said to resemble a ladle or cart, and a part of the constellation Ursa Major which includes the stars Mizar, Dubhe, and Alkaid. The other stars comprising it are Alioth, Megrez, Merak, and Phecda.
More synonyms by meaning
nounelevated railway in an amusement park (usually with sharp curves and steep inclines)
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Probably from the name given to some rides, such as the Black Pool Big Dipper (1923).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic بَنَاتُ نَعْشٍ الكُبْرَى
- بَنَاتُ نَعْشٍ الكُبْرَى (banātu naʕšin al-kubrā)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Bengali সপ্তর্ষি
- সপ্তর্ষি (śôptorśi)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Catalan Carro Gran
- Carro Granbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Chinese Mandarin 北斗七星, 北斗星
- 北斗七星 (Běidǒu Qīxīng)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- 北斗星 (Běidǒuxīng)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Czech Velký vůz
- Velký vůzbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Danish Karlsvognen
- Karlsvognenbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Esperanto Granda Kulero, Plugilo
- Granda Kulerobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Plugilobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Ĉaro de Karlobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Granda Kuleregobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Estonian Suur Vanker
- Suur Vankerbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Finnish Otava
- Otavabright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
French Grande Casserole, Grand Chariot
- Grande Casserolebright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Grand Chariotbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
German Großer Wagen
- Großer Wagenbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Hindi सप्तर्षि तारामंडल
- सप्तर्षि तारामंडल (saptarṣi tārāmaṇḍal)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Hungarian Göncölszekér
- Göncölszekérbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Irish Camchéachta
- Camchéachtabright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Italian Gran Carro
- Gran Carrobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Japanese 北斗七星, 七つ星
- 北斗七星 (Hokuto Shichisei)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- 七つ星 (Nanatsuboshi)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Korean 북두칠성, 북두성
- 북두칠성 (Bukduchilseong)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- 북두성 (Bukduseong)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- 칠성 (chilseong)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Latin Plaustrum, septentriō
- Plaustrumbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- septentriōbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- septentriōnēsbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Malay bintang biduk, bintang gayung besar
- bintang bidukbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- bintang gayung besarbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- bintang jongbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Norwegian Karlsvognen
- Karlsvognenbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Persian هفت اورنگ, بناتالنعش
- هفت اورنگ (haft owrang)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- بناتالنعش (banât-on-na'š)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- ملاقه بزرگ (malâqe-ye bozorg)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Polish Wielki Wóz
- Wielki Wózbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Portuguese Grande Carro, Caçarola
- Grande Carrobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Caçarolabright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Romanian Carul Mare
- Carul Marebright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Russian Большо́й Ковш
- Большо́й Ковш (Bolʹšój Kovš)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Scottish Gaelic an Crann
- an Crannbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Slovak Veľký voz
- Veľký vozbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Spanish el Carro, el Cazo
- el Carrobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- el Cazobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Swedish Karlavagnen
- Karlavagnenbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Tagalog Malaking Tabo
- Malaking Tabobright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Tamil எழுமீன்
- எழுமீன் (eḻumīṉ)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Thai กลุ่มดาวจระเข
- กลุ่มดาวจระเข (glùm-daao-jɔɔ-rá-kêe)bright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Turkish Büyük Ayı
- Büyük Ayıbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Vietnamese Bắc Đẩu, Bắc Đẩu tinh
- Bắc Đẩubright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Bắc Đẩu tinhbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
- Bắc Đẩu thất tinhbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Welsh Sêr Llong
- Sêr Llongbright circumpolar asterism of the northern sky
Cite this entry
APA
big dipper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20dipper
MLA
“big dipper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20dipper. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “big dipper,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20dipper.
Source: big dipper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.