Vesta

[ves-tuh]

noun

1. Classical Mythology.,  the ancient Roman goddess of the hearth, worshiped in a temple containing an altar on which a sacred fire was kept burning by the vestal virgins: identified with the Greek Hestia.

2. Astronomy.,  the second largest and by far the brightest asteroid in our solar system, discovered in 1807 and located in the asteroid belt.

3. (lowercase),  a short friction match with a wood or wax shank.

4. a female given name.

Vesta

¹

/ ˈvɛstə /

noun

1. the brightest of the four largest asteroids. Diameter: about 530 km (240 miles)

vesta

²

/ ˈvɛstə /

noun

1. a short friction match, usually of wood

Vesta

³

/ ˈvɛstə /

noun

1. Greek counterpart: Hestia. the Roman goddess of the hearth and its fire. In her temple a perpetual flame was tended by the vestal virgins

Vesta

1. The brightest of all the asteroids and the fourth to be discovered, in 1807. It is the third largest, with a diameter of about 530 km (329 mi), and the only asteroid that can be seen without a telescope. Evidence of lava flows on its surface suggests that it once had a molten interior.

2. See more at asteroid

Vesta

1. The Roman and Greek goddess of the hearth and home. Roman and Greek cities were supposed to have a public hearth dedicated to Vesta, at which the fire was kept constantly burning.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Vesta¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin; possibly akin to Greek Hestía; possibly derivative of Latin ūrere “to burn”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Vesta¹

C19: named after the goddess; see _Vesta ¹

Origin of Vesta²

C19: named after the goddess; see _Vesta ¹

Example Sentences

Vestas Wind Systems VWS -2.75%decrease; red down pointing triangle said lower demand in Europe has pushed it to pause the planned construction of a new factory in Poland.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The day after the Palisades fire broke out, luxury staging company Vesta began manufacturing beds around the clock.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A major advantage of this approach, according to Vestas, is that it uses widely available chemicals, though details haven't been disclosed.

Read more on BBC

One of the investors in Modvion is renewable energy giant Vestas.

Read more on BBC

One, Project Vesta, in 2022 spread an alkaline mineral called olivine on a Long Island beach to test whether that would result in more alkaline waters as waves wash the material out to sea.

Read more on Science Magazine