Dog Star
Americannoun
-
the bright star Sirius, in Canis Major.
-
the bright star Procyon, in Canis Minor.
noun
Etymology
Origin of Dog Star
First recorded in 1570–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The dog days of summer were named specifically for the Dog Star.
From National Geographic • Aug. 23, 2023
All align with the position of the Dog Star Sirius in the summer months, when the Nile floods each year.
From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023
The message swirled up to the heavens, to the Dog Star Sirius and the spirit of Benjamin Banneker.
From Scientific American • Nov. 9, 2021
Sirius, the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the sky.
From Salon • Aug. 12, 2021
The boy would not tell her that the teacher had told him that dog days got their name from the Dog Star because it rose and set with the sun during that period.
From "Sounder" by William H. Armstrong
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.