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

• Big Dipper vs. Little Dipper

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

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is celebrating the centenary of its Big Dipper ride.

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

I know that is a strange name for a dog, but it is the name of one of the stars in the Big Dipper, in the northern part of the sky.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

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, you're about the only one I CAN trust these days.

From Cy Whittaker's Place by Lincoln, Joseph Crosby