Meanings
plural constellations
- astronomyAn arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure (especially one from mythology) or pattern, or a division of the sky including it, especially one officially recognized by astronomers; an asterism.
Located 11,000 light-years away in the northern constellation Cassiopeia, Cas A is the remnant of a once massive star that died in a violent explosion 325 years ago.
2005 June 9, Francis Reddy, “Spitzer Finds Supernova’s Echo”, in Astronomy, Waukesha, Wis.: Kalmbach Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Apr 2023, image caption5 more examples
Behold, the day of the Lord commeth, cruell both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land deſolate; and he ſhall deſtroy the ſinners thereof out of it. For the ſtarres of heauen, and the conſtellations thereof ſhall not giue their light: the ſunne ſhalbe darkened in his going forth, and the moone ſhall not cauſe her light to ſhine.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 13:9–10, column 2Up, up, faire Bride, and call, / Thy ſtarres, from out their ſeverall boxes, take / Thy Rubies, Pearles, and Diamonds forth, and make / Thy ſelfe a conſtellation, of them All.
a. 1631 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “An Epithalamion, or Mariage Song on the Lady Elizabeth, and Count Palatine being Married on St. Valentines Day”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, stanza III, page 119Next the cold Bears, (the Cauſe t' himſelf beſt knovvn) / Shines forth a kneeling Conſtellation. / Behind vvhoſe Back Arctophylax appears, / The ſame Boötes call'd, becauſe yoak'd Steers / He ſeeming drives; vvho through the rapid Skies / (Bearing Arcturus in his Boſome) hies.
1675, Marcus Manilius, translated by Edward Sherburne, The Sphere of Marcus Manilius Made an English Poem: […], London: […] Nathanael Brooke, […], →OCLC, page 25Harpa Georgii, or the Harp of George, is a new constellation introduced on the maps by one of the German astronomers, in honour of the late king of England, George III.
1824, “Illustrations of the Tenth Plate. Taurus.—Orion.—Gemini.—Canis Minor.—Harpa Georgii.”, in Astronomical Recreations; or Sketches of the Relative Position and Mythological History of the Constellations, Philadelphia, Pa.: Anthony Finley, […], →OCLC, page 73Who can doubt that poetry will revive and lead in a new age, as the star in the constellation Harp, which now flames in our zenith, astronomers announce, shall one day be the pole-star for a thousand years?
1837 August 31, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The American Scholar. An Oration Delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa Society, at Cambridge, August 31, 1837.”, in Nature, Addresses, and Lectures (Emerson’s Complete Works; I), Riverside edition, London: The Waverley Book Company, published 1883, →OCLC, page 84 - figurativelyA configuration or grouping of related things.
1 more example
[T]he program AppleWorks for the Apple IIe was released circa 1984. It combined a spreadsheet, database, and word processing program into one easy-to-use, low-cost integrated software package. This software constellation persists today as Microsoft Office, the most popular software tool set in history.
2010, Jason B. Ohler, “Becoming Digital: The Road to Digital Citizenship”, in Digital Community, Digital Citizen, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; London: Corwin, SAGE, →ISBN, part I (The Call to Digital Citizenship), page 15- figurativelyA wide, seemingly unlimited, assortment.
a constellation of possibilities
2 more examples
Theſe amorous Perſons may be, I grant, very much delighted vvhen they first gaze upon a Conſtellation of fair Ladies, but the Heart commonly pays dear for the Pleaſure of the Eye, […]
1665, Robert Boyle, “Occasional Reflections. Reflection VIII. Upon a Child that Cri’d for the Stars.”, in Occasional Reflections upon Several Subiects. Whereto is Premis’d a Discourse about Such Kind of Thoughts, London: […] W. Wilson for Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, section V, pages 172–173Throughout the 1500s, the populace roiled over a constellation of grievances of which the forest emerged as a key focal point. The popular late Middle Ages fictional character Robin Hood, dressed in green to symbolize the forest, dodged fines for forest offenses and stole from the rich to give to the poor. But his appeal was painfully real and embodied the struggle over wood.
2006 September, Edwin Black, “Power Struggle”, in Internal Combustion: How Corporations and Governments Addicted the World to Oil and Derailed the Alternatives, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, →ISBN, page 17 - figurativelyAn array of marks or items.
He had a constellation of bruises on his side.
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A constellation of blood had sprayed onto the wall.
- figurativelylifestyleA network of connections between people who are in polyamorous relationships, for example between a person, their partner, and that person's partner.
- figurativelyaerospaceA fleet of satellites used for the same purpose.
The Iridium satellite constellation provides data and voice information coverage to satellite phones and other communication devices over the entire surface of Earth.
1 more example
With its Starlink program, SpaceX hopes to launch a constellation of as many as 42,000 satellites to provide Internet service to the world.
2021 December 13, Molly Ball, Jeffrey Kluger, Alejandro de la Garza, “2021 Person of the Year: Elon Musk”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2023
- obsoleteastrologyThe configuration of planets at a given time (especially a person's birth), as believed to affect events on Earth, or used for determining a horoscope.
[H]e was born under the constellation that gives a man skill, riches, and integrity, whatever that constellation may be, which is of the less consequence because babies can't choose their own horoscopes, and, indeed, if they could, there might be an inconvenient rush of babies at particular epochs.
1862 July – 1863 August, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “First Impressions”, in Romola. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1863, →OCLC, book I, page 721 more example
But alas such peruerse constellation nowe reigneth ouer men, that where some be aptely and naturally disposed to amitie, and fyndeth one, in similitude of studie and maners, equall to his expectation, and therfore kendeleth a feruent loue towarde that persone, puttinge all his ioye and delite in the praise and auauncement of him that he loueth, it hapneth that he which is loued, beinge promoted in honour, either of purpose neglecteth his frende, therby suppressynge libertie of speche or familiar resorte; or els esteming his mynde with his fortune onely, and nat with the suertie of frendship, hideth from him the secretes of his harte, and either trusteth no man, or els him whome prosperous fortune hath late brought in acquaintaunce.
1531, Thomas Elyot, “The Diuision of Ingratitude and the Dispraise therof”, in The Boke Named the Governour […], London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti, →OCLC - obsoleteastrologyA person's character or inclinations, supposedly determined by their horoscope.
I knovv thy conſtellation is right apt / For this affayre: […]
c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], page 257, column 2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of complex (“a collection of ideas caused by repressed emotions that leads to an abnormal mental condition”).
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂stḗr“star”
- Latincon-
- Late Latincōnstēllātiōnem
- Old Frenchconstellation
- Middle Englishconstellacioun
- Englishconstellation
PIE word *ḱóm From Middle English constellacioun, constillacioun (“(astrology) position of the moon or a planet in relation to the ascendant sign of the zodiac; horoscope; (astronomy) formation of fixed stars, constellation; (astronomy) elevation or position of the sun”) [and other forms], borrowed from Old French constellation (modern French constellation), or directly from its etymon Late Latin cōnstēllātiōnem, the accusative singular of cōnstēllātiō (“collection of stars supposed to exert an influence upon human affairs, constellation”), from Latin con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of several objects) + stēlla (“star; meteor; planet”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr (“star”)) + -ātiō (suffix forming nouns).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans sterrebeeld, konstellasie
- sterrebeeldany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- konstellasiewide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- sterrebeeldarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- konstellasiearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Ancient Greek ἀστερισμός
- ἀστερισμός (asterismós)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Arabic كَوْكَبَة, كَوْكَبَة
- كَوْكَبَة (kawkaba)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- كَوْكَبَة (kawkaba)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- بُرْج (burj)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- صُورَة نَجْمِيَّةarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- صُورَة سَمَاوِيَّةarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Basque konstelazioa
- konstelazioaarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Bengali তারামণ্ডল
- তারামণ্ডল (taramonḍol)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Bulgarian съзве́здие
- съзве́здие (săzvézdie)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Catalan constel·lació
- constel·lacióarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Chinese Mandarin 星座, 星群
- 星座 (xīngzuò)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- 星群 (xīngqún)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- 星座 (xīngzuò)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Czech souhvězdí, plejáda
- souhvězdíany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- plejádawide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- souhvězdíarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Danish stjernebillede
- stjernebilledearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Dutch constellatie, sterrenbeeld
- constellatieany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- sterrenbeeldany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- constellatiewide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- gammawide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- plejadewide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- sterrenhemelwide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- constellatiearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- sterrenbeeldarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- gesterntearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Esperanto konstelacio, stelaro
- konstelacioarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- stelaroarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Estonian konstellatsioon, tähtkuju
- konstellatsioonarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- tähtkujuarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Finnish tähdistö, joukko
- tähdistöany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- joukkowide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- kirjowide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- suhdeverkostonetwork of connections between people who are in polyamorous relationships
- muodostelmafleet of satellites used for the same purpose
- tähtikuvioarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- rykelmäconfiguration or grouping of related things
- joukkoconfiguration or grouping of related things
French constellation, constellation
- constellationany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- constellationwide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- constellationarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
German Sternbild, Konstellation
- Sternbildany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- Konstellationarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- Asterismusarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- Sternbildarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Greek αστερισμός, αστερισμός
- αστερισμός (asterismós)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- αστερισμός (asterismós)wide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- πλειάδα (pleiáda)wide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- αστερισμός (asterismós)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Hebrew קְבוּצַת כּוֹכָבִים, מַזָּל
- קְבוּצַת כּוֹכָבִים (kvutsát kokhavím)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- מַזָּל (mazál)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Hindi तारामंडल, नक्षत्र
- तारामंडल (tārāmaṇḍal)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- नक्षत्र (nakṣatra)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- तारामंडल (tārāmaṇḍal)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Hungarian csillagkép
- csillagképarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Icelandic stjörnumerki
- stjörnumerkiarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Indonesian konstelasi, rasi bintang
- konstelasiany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- rasi bintangany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- konstelasiarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- rasi bintangarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Irish réaltbhuíon, réaltbhuíon
- réaltbhuíonany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- réaltbhuíonarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- réaltraarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Italian costellazione, costellazione
- costellazioneany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- costellazionewide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- costellazionearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Japanese 星座, 集まり
- 星座 (seiza)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- 集まり (atsumari)wide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- 一群 (ichigun)wide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- 群れ (mure)wide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- 星群 (seigun)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- 星座 (seiza)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Korean 별자리, 별자리
- 별자리 (byeoljari)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- 별자리 (byeoljari)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- 성군 (seonggun)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- 성좌 (seongjwa)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Latin cōnstēllātiō, sīdus
- cōnstēllātiōarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- sīdusarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Latvian zvaigznājs, zvaigznājs
- zvaigznājsany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- zvaigznājsarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Lithuanian žvaigždynas
- žvaigždynasarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Malay buruj
- burujarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Māori kāhui whetū, tātai whetū
- kāhui whetūarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- tātai whetūarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Norwegian Bokmål stjernebilde, konstellasjon
- stjernebildeany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- konstellasjonarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- stjernebildearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Persian برج, پیکره
- برج (borj)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- پیکره (peykare)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- پیکر آسمانی (peykar-e âsmâni)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- صورت فلکی (surat-e falaki)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Polish konstelacja, gwiazdozbiór
- konstelacjaany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- gwiazdozbiórany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- konstelacjaarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- gwiazdozbiórarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Portuguese constelação, constelação
- constelaçãoany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- constelaçãoarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Punjabi ਖਿੱਤੀਆਂ
- ਖਿੱਤੀਆਂ (khittīā̃)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Romanian constelație, constelație
- constelațieany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- constelațiearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Russian созве́здие, созве́здие
- созве́здие (sozvézdije)any of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- созве́здие (sozvézdije)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Scottish Gaelic reul-bhad, reul-bhad
- reul-bhadany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- reul-bhadarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Slovak súhvezdie
- súhvezdiearbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Spanish constelación, constelación
- constelaciónany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- constelaciónwide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- constelaciónarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Swahili kundinyota, kundinyota
- kundinyotaany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- kundinyotaarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Swedish stjärnbild, överdåd
- stjärnbildany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- överdådwide, seemingly unlimited, assortment
- konstellationarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- stjärnbildarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- konstellationconfiguration or grouping of related things
Tagalog talanyo, konstelasyon
- talanyoany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- konstelasyonarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- talanyoarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Tamil விண்மீன் குழாம்
- விண்மீன் குழாம் (viṇmīṉ kuḻām)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Thai กลุ่มดาว
- กลุ่มดาว (glùm-daao)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Turkish takımyıldız, burç
- takımyıldızany of the 88 regions of the sky officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union
- burçarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- takımyıldızarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Ukrainian сузі́р'я
- сузі́р'я (suzírʺja)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Urdu بُرْج, مَجْمَعُ النُجُوم
- بُرْج (burj)arbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
- مَجْمَعُ النُجُومarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Vietnamese chòm sao
- chòm saoarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Welsh cytser
- cytserarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Zulu isiShomo
- isiShomoarbitrary formation of stars perceived as a figure or pattern, or a division of the sky including it
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with constellation
Cite this entry
constellation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constellation
“constellation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constellation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “constellation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constellation.
Source: constellation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.