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• Big Dipper
  Big Dipper

  noun

  the group of seven bright stars in Ursa Major resembling a dipper in outline.
• big dipper
  big dipper

  noun

  (in amusement parks) a narrow railway with open carriages that run swiftly over a route of sharp curves and steep inclines

Big Dipper

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the group of seven bright stars in Ursa Major resembling a dipper in outline.

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big dipper ¹ British  

noun

1. Also called: roller coaster.  (in amusement parks) a narrow railway with open carriages that run swiftly over a route of sharp curves and steep inclines

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Big Dipper ² British  

noun

1. the US and Canadian name for Plough

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Big Dipper Scientific  

1. An asterism composed of seven stars in the constellation Ursa Major. Four stars form the bowl and three form the handle in the outline of a dipper.

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Big Dipper Cultural  

1. A constellation in the northern sky. The two stars on the far end of the bowl of the dipper point toward the North Star. The Big Dipper is part of the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

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Etymology

Origin of Big Dipper

First recorded in 1865–70

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How does big-dipper compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Big Dipper vs. Little Dipper

Example Sentences

Another favorite is "The Big Dipper," my take on a French Dip.

From Salon • May 28, 2024

The 70-year-old has loved the cosmos since her childhood, since her father showed her the Big Dipper, the North Star and the Milky Way, and bought her her first telescope.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2024

Elusive stars began to emerge, dappling the stretches of sky that often look empty between streaks of red and green aircraft lights and astronomical divas like the North Star or Big Dipper.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 28, 2023

Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is one of the most prominent northern constellations, and its main claim to fame is that it contains the Big Dipper, a highly recognizable asterism.

From National Geographic • Aug. 23, 2023

A man had a telescope to look at the sky, and he showed us the Big Dipper and Orion.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate