cluster

American  

[kluhs-ter] / ˈklʌs tər /

noun

1. a number of things of the same kind, growing or held together; a bunch.

   a cluster of grapes.

2. a group of things or persons close together.

   There was a cluster of tourists at the gate.

3. U.S. Army. a small metal design placed on a ribbon representing an awarded medal to indicate that the same medal has been awarded again.

   oak-leaf cluster.

4. Phonetics. a succession of two or more contiguous consonants in an utterance, as the str- cluster of strap.

5. Astronomy. a group of neighboring stars, held together by mutual gravitation, that have essentially the same age and composition and thus supposedly a common origin.

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verb (used with object)

1. to gather into a cluster or clusters.

2. to furnish or cover with clusters.

verb (used without object)

1. to form a cluster or clusters.

   The people clustered around to watch.

   Synonyms:

   bunch, crowd, throng, gather, group

cluster British  

/ ˈklʌstə /

noun

1. a number of things growing, fastened, or occurring close together

2. a number of persons or things grouped together

3. military a metal insignia worn on a medal ribbon to indicate a second award or a higher class of a decoration or order

4. military

   1. a group of bombs dropped in one stick, esp fragmentation and incendiary bombs

   2. the basic unit of mines used in laying a minefield

5. astronomy an aggregation of stars or galaxies moving together through space

6. a group of two or more consecutive vowels or consonants

7. statistics a naturally occurring subgroup of a population used in stratified sampling

8. chem

   1. a chemical compound or molecule containing groups of metal atoms joined by metal-to-metal bonds

   2. the group of linked metal atoms present

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verb

1. to gather or be gathered in clusters

Other Word Forms

• clustered adjective
• clusteringly adverb
• clustery adjective
• intercluster adjective
• subcluster noun
• unclustered adjective
• unclustering adjective

Etymology

Origin of cluster

before 900; Middle English; Old English cluster, clyster bunch; cognate with Low German kluster

Example Sentences

The year after Milly's death, there was a cluster of infections.

From BBC

A cluster of makeup artists, PR reps, translators and crew members huddle about while some members steal a smile and exchange hand hearts with giddy fans in the audience.

From Los Angeles Times

“Over the last few years, we’ve become one of the fastest-growing aerospace clusters in America.”

From Los Angeles Times

Both of them kept looking over their shoulders and scanning the horizon, but so far the only things Owen had seen were small clusters of gray rocks and bent dwarf spruce trees.

From Literature

San Diego is expanding its apartment pool at nearly twice the rate of L.A. and other major city clusters in the state.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• array
• assemblage
• band
• batch
• bunch
• bundle
• chunk
• clump
• collection
• knot