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• Big Dipper
  Big Dipper

  noun

  the group of seven bright stars in Ursa Major resembling a dipper in outline.
• big dipper
  big dipper

  noun

  (in amusement parks) a narrow railway with open carriages that run swiftly over a route of sharp curves and steep inclines

Big Dipper

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the group of seven bright stars in Ursa Major resembling a dipper in outline.

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big dipper ¹ British  

noun

1. Also called: roller coaster. (in amusement parks) a narrow railway with open carriages that run swiftly over a route of sharp curves and steep inclines

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Big Dipper ² British  

noun

1. the US and Canadian name for Plough

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Big Dipper Scientific  

1. An asterism composed of seven stars in the constellation Ursa Major. Four stars form the bowl and three form the handle in the outline of a dipper.

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Big Dipper Cultural  

1. A constellation in the northern sky. The two stars on the far end of the bowl of the dipper point toward the North Star. The Big Dipper is part of the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

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Etymology

Origin of Big Dipper

First recorded in 1865–70

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Compare meaning

How does big-dipper compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Big Dipper vs. Little Dipper

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Big Dipper big dipper

Another favorite is "The Big Dipper," my take on a French Dip.

From Salon ● May 28, 2024

Though the MOM studio is in Los Angeles, many queens record their shows remotely, something non-drag producer Big Dipper said contributed to the network’s popularity, especially during COVID.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2023

Paul Heany, of the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain, agreed the Big Dipper was "full of character - it's got a life of its own".

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2023

Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is one of the most prominent northern constellations, and its main claim to fame is that it contains the Big Dipper, a highly recognizable asterism.

From National Geographic ● Aug. 23, 2023

Looking up, Roosevelt and Cherrie saw the Big Dipper shining brightly in the clear, dark sky.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple

Melting permafrost is buckling roads into potentially deadly big dipper rollercoasters, as well as threatening to dislodge doses of locked-up mercury.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 21, 2018

Start at dusk in June to see big dipper fireflies and the pink mountains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2018

Now it’s like being on a big dipper with no safety belt, for about five years.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 12, 2016

In the Mid-Atlantic, you’re more likely to see P. pyralis, the big dipper firefly, named for its undulating flight pattern.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 5, 2016

By the big dipper, I couldn't do it!

From Cy Whittaker's Place by Joseph Crosby Lincoln

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