Betelgeuse

American  

[beet-l-jooz, bet-l-jœz] / ˈbit lˌdʒuz, ˈbɛt lˌdʒœz /

Or Betelgeux

noun

Astronomy.

1. a first-magnitude red supergiant in the constellation Orion.

---

Betelgeuse British  

/ ˌbiːtəlˈdʒɜːz, ˈbiːtəlˌdʒɜːz /

noun

1. a very remote luminous red supergiant, Alpha Orionis: the second brightest star in the constellation Orion. It is a variable star

---

Betelgeuse Scientific  

/ bēt′l-jo̅o̅z′ /

1. 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.

2. 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

See Examples For:

Betelgeuse

From Earth's perspective, Betelgeuse is currently eclipsing its companion star.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 10, 2026

Astronomers have monitored Betelgeuse for decades, tracking changes in its brightness and surface features in an effort to understand its unpredictable behavior.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 10, 2026

Betelgeuse is so huge, its radius is around 700 times more than the Sun.

From Space Scoop ● Aug. 20, 2025

Set more than three decades after the original Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz is now a mother struggling to keep her family together when Betelgeuse returns to haunt her.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2024

Betelgeuse was a red star in the shoulder of the constellation Orion.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls