Almagest

American  

[al-muh-jest] / ˈæl məˌdʒɛst /

noun

1. (italics) a Greek work on astronomy by Ptolemy.

2. almagest, any of various medieval works of a like kind, as on astrology or alchemy.

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Almagest British  

/ ˈælməˌdʒɛst /

noun

1. a work on astronomy compiled by Ptolemy in the 2nd century _a.d containing a description of the geocentric system of the universe and a star catalogue

2. (sometimes not capital) any of various similar medieval treatises on astrology, astronomy, or alchemy

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Etymology

Origin of Almagest

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English almageste, from Middle French, from Arabic al “the” + majisṭī, from Greek megístē (sýntaxis) “greatest (composition)”

Example Sentences

His treatise Almagest, one of the most influential scientific texts in history, set out a mathematical model of the cosmos—with Earth at its centre—that was accepted for more than 1,200 years.

From Scientific American • Oct. 20, 2022

As European culture began to emerge from its long, dark age, trading with Arab countries led to a rediscovery of ancient texts such as Almagest and to a reawakening of interest in astronomical questions.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

Almagest does not deal exclusively with Ptolemy’s own work; it includes a discussion of the astronomical achievements of the past, principally those of Hipparchus.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

Ptolemy of Alexandria summarized classic astronomy in his Almagest; he explained planetary motions, including retrograde motion, with remarkably good accuracy using a model centered on Earth.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

His system, as expounded in his thirteen-volume opus The Almagest, had much influence both in Europe and in the Islamic world, and was later adopted as dogma by the Catholic Church.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro