Betelgeuse
Americannoun
noun
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A red supergiant star in the constellation Orion. It is a variable star with a brightest apparent magnitude of 0.5. Scientific name: Alpha Orionis.
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See Note at Rigel
Etymology
Origin of Betelgeuse
1790–1800; < French < Arabic bīt al jauzāʾ shoulder of the giant (i.e., of Orion)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Montargès and his colleagues observed Betelgeuse with ESO's VLT that December.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
"Honestly, I thought we did not have the sensitivity to detect Betelgeuse B as it was predicted," explains Montargès.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
The latest VLT observations, however, provide the strongest evidence so far and the clearest image yet of Betelgeuse B.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
The possibility that Betelgeuse has a companion was first raised roughly a century ago as a potential explanation for some of its changes in brightness.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
Dad explained light-years and black holes and quasars and told us about the special qualities of Betelgeuse, Rigel, and Venus.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
