centaur

[ sen-tawr ]

noun

1. Classical Mythology. one of a race of creatures having the head, trunk, and arms of a man, and the body and legs of a horse.
2. Cen·taur, Astronomy. the constellation Centaurus.
3. a skillful horseman or horsewoman.
4. Cen·taur, Rocketry. a U.S. upper stage, with a restartable liquid-propellant engine, used with an Atlas or Titan booster to launch satellites and probes.

centaur

/ ˈsɛntɔː /

noun

1. Greek myth one of a race of creatures with the head, arms, and torso of a man, and the lower body and legs of a horse

Centaur

/ sĕn′tôr′ /

1. Any of a group of icy bodies similar to both asteroids and comets, orbiting the Sun in elliptical paths mostly in the region between Saturn and Neptune. Centaurs range in diameter from around 100 to 400 km (62 to 248 mi) and are believed to be Kuiper belt objects that have escaped into the vicinity of the gas-giant planets. Centaurs are considered to have unstable orbits, and gravitational encounters with the large outer planets could send them into the inner solar system or alternatively could eject them from the solar system into interstellar space. Chiron , the first such body to be classified as a Centaur, was discovered in 1977.

Other Words From

• cen·tau·ri·al [sen-, tawr, -ee-, uh, l], cen·tau·ri·an cen·tau·ric adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of centaur¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, Old English, from Latin centaurus, from Greek kéntauros

Word History and Origins

Origin of centaur¹

C14: from Latin, from Greek kentauros, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

That would give a centaur two sets of back legs and two pelvises.

From Science News For Students

The centaur — a mythical creature that is half human and half horse — might seem like a relatively easy mashup.

From Science News For Students

NASA has considered sending spacecraft to centaurs, although no missions have been selected for development yet.

From Science News

That means Chariklo likely has one or more tiny shepherd moons itself, making the centaur a miniature solar system.

From The Daily Beast

This position, along with its composition of rock and ice, marks Chariklo as a “centaur.”

From The Daily Beast

Another of the most beautiful, on account of its regularity, is that of the Centaur (Fig. 22).

From Project Gutenberg

With the grace of a Centaur, the rider swung his mount in beside them and doffed his hat.

From Project Gutenberg

Deaneira took the robe, but said nothing to her husband of the centaur's gift, hoping that she would never have to make use of it.

From Project Gutenberg

The poisoned tip sank deep233 into the centaur's side, and he knew at once that he had received his death-wound.

From Project Gutenberg

"I harnessed him to the wagonette with Linda," returned the Centaur, with an angry look at the listening Valentina.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• behemoth
• freak
• giant
• whale