constellation

American  

[kon-stuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌkɒn stəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Astronomy.

   1. any of various groups of stars to which definite names have been given, as Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Boötes, Cancer, Orion.

   2. the section of the heavens occupied by such a group.

2. Astrology.

   1. the grouping or relative position of the stars as supposed to influence events, especially at a person's birth.

   2. Obsolete. character as presumed to be determined by the stars.

3. a group or configuration of ideas, feelings, characteristics, objects, etc., that are related in some way.

   a constellation of qualities that made her particularly suited to the job.

4. any brilliant, outstanding group or assemblage.

   a constellation of great scientists.

   Synonyms:

   circle, company, gathering

---

constellation British  

/ ˌkɒnstɪˈleɪʃən, -trɪ, kənˈstɛlətərɪ /

noun

1. 1. any of the 88 groups of stars as seen from the earth and the solar system, many of which were named by the ancient Greeks after animals, objects, or mythological persons

   2. an area on the celestial sphere containing such a group

2. a gathering of brilliant or famous people or things

3. psychoanal a group of ideas felt to be related

---

constellation Scientific  

/ kŏn′stə-lā′shən /

1. A group of stars seen as forming a figure or design in the sky, especially one of 88 officially recognized groups, many of which are based on mythological traditions from ancient Greek and Middle Eastern civilizations.

2. An area of the sky occupied by one of the 88 recognized constellations. These irregularly defined areas completely fill the celestial sphere and divide it into nonoverlapping sections used in describing the location of celestial objects.

---

constellation Cultural  

1. An easily recognized group of stars that appear to be located close together in the sky and that form a picture if lines connecting them are imagined. Constellations are usually named after an animal, a character from mythology, or a common object. (See Big Dipper, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor.)

---

Usage

What else does constellation mean? A constellation is a way of thinking about sexuality by considering sex, gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression as separate components (like stars) that together make up one's gender and sexual identity (constellation). What are some other words related to constellation?

• nonbinary
• cis
• gender-fluid
• queer

Closer Look

Various cultures throughout history have chosen different groups of stars in the night sky to form different constellations. While it was once thought that the Greeks were responsible for determining many of the constellations known today, it is now believed that the mythological origins of the 48 ancient constellations predate the Greeks and originate instead from ancient Middle Eastern civilizations. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries another 40 constellations were invented by Europeans for navigational purposes. The boundaries of the 88 constellations currently recognized were defined in the 1920s by the International Astronomical Union. There is no scientific reason why there are exactly 88; the modern constellations are only a convenient way to break up the sky to locate the position of celestial objects or track satellites. Although the stars in any given constellation may look like they're neighbors, they can actually be many light-years apart, and if seen from another part of the galaxy they would form different groups and shapes altogether. Constellation names are usually given in Latin, such as Ursa Major (Great Bear) or Centaurus (Centaur), and individual stars in constellations are named in order of brightness, using the Greek alphabet, with the genitive case of the constellation following. Therefore, Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the constellation Centaurus, Beta Centauri is the second brightest star, and so on. The stars within our galaxy are rushing through space in various directions, and as the millennia pass, the arrangements of the star groups as seen from Earth will change, inevitably altering the constellations as we know them.

Other Word Forms

• constellational adjective
• constellatory adjective
• subconstellation noun

Etymology

Origin of constellation

1275–1325; Middle English constellacioun (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin constellātiōn- (stem of constellātiō ). See constellate, -ion

Explanation

When you spot the Big Dipper in the night sky, you're looking at part of the constellation called "Ursa Major." A constellation is a group of stars that forms a pattern and has been given a name based on its shape. The visible night sky is divided into 88 constellations by astronomers. Organizing the stars into specific shapes and patterns helps when people study them, since they're broken down into manageable sections. A constellation can also be a cluster of things, like a constellation of freckles on your friend's nose. The stella in the middle of the word constellation means "star" in Latin, while the entire word means "set with stars."

Example Sentences

“He could recall a conversation he had with a person 35 years ago without any hesitation. He had an incredible constellation of people that he was surrounded by.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Amazon in February received permission from regulators to deploy another 4,500 satellites to create a second-generation system and a polar constellation.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

The company’s Starlink broadband product, built on a constellation of more than 10,000 satellites, already is profitable and has more than 10 million subscribers.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

They use a constellation of satellites from space and powerful radars on the ground - including at RAF Fylingdales in the UK - which can track the missile from launch to target.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

“That’s the constellation Lyra the Lyre, and there’s Sagittarius the Archer. But look there, beside Lyra.”

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Related Words

• kind
• method
• sequence
• shape
• sort
• style
• system
• type
• variety