astronomical unit

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noun Astronomy.

a unit of length, equal to the mean distance of the earth from the sun: approximately 93 million miles (150 million km). Abbreviation: AU

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Origin of astronomical unit

First recorded in 1900–05

Words nearby astronomical unit

astronomical distance, astronomical frame of reference, astronomical telescope, astronomical triangle, astronomical twilight, astronomical unit, astronomical year, astronomy, astrophotography, astrophotometry, astrophysics

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use astronomical unit in a sentence

“Stay in formation,” a sergeant from the ceremonial unit said over a public address system to the cops along the street.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
My father was in an intelligence unit for the U.S. Navy, as he had been in World War II.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Bitcoin began 2013 with a roaring price of $770 per unit, and businesses right and left were converting to the ethereal product.
You Were Wrong About Miley & Bitcoin: 2014’s Failed Predictions|Nina Strochlic|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They then become members of the ultra elite Unit 121, granted premium housing and a well-stocked cupboard.
Inside the ‘Surprisingly Great’ North Korean Hacker Hotel|Michael Daly|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The unit is used to attack foreign networks, and either it or a sister organization was involved in the Sony hack.
U.S. Should Make North Korea Pay for Sony Hack|Gordon G. Chang|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As a fighting unit they are on their last legs and when they will be set upon their feet again Lord K. knows.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
It is built on the "Unit" principle, and is divided between the extreme ends of the lofty structure.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
This gallery division, complete in itself, represents the latest type of Unit organ.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
Let us suppose that the Astronomer Royal claimed infallibility, not only in matters astronomical, but also in politics and morals.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
Science began with astronomy, and the first instruments which men contrived for the purpose of investigation were astronomical.
Outlines of the Earth's History|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler

British Dictionary definitions for astronomical unit

astronomical unit

noun

a unit of distance used in astronomy equal to the mean distance between the earth and the sun. 1 astronomical unit is equivalent to 1.495 × 10 11 metres or about 9.3 × 10 7 miles

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for astronomical unit

astronomical unit

[ ăs′trə-nŏm′ĭ-kəl ]

A unit of length equal to the average distance from Earth to the Sun, approximately 149.6 million km (92.8 million mi). It is used especially to measure distances within the solar system. Compare light-year parsec.

Cultural definitions for astronomical unit

astronomical unit

The mean distance between the Earth and the sun, about 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers. It is often abbreviated as AU.