Proxima Centauri

American  

[prok-suh-muh] / ˈprɒk sə mə /

noun

1. the nearest star to the sun at a distance of 4.3 light-years, part of the Alpha Centauri triple-star system located in the constellation Centaurus.

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Proxima Centauri Scientific  

/ prŏk′sə-məsĕn-tôr′ē /

1. See under Alpha Centauri

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Etymology

Origin of Proxima Centauri

< New Latin: nearest (star) of Centaurus

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Proxima Centauri

The closest star, Proxima Centauri, is marked at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles to reflect its true distance.

From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026

Among these are well-known exoplanets such as Proxima Centauri b, TRAPPIST-1f, and Kepler 186f, along with lesser-known candidates like TOI-715 b.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 25, 2026

Imagine, he says, wanting to send a single paperclip to our neighboring star, Proxima Centauri.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026

The closest red dwarf to us is Proxima Centauri.

From Space Scoop ● Nov. 28, 2025

Even if I traveled for trillions of miles, I’d barely reach Proxima Centauri, the next closest star after the sun.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

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