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Fomalhaut

[foh-muh l-hawt, -muh-loh]
noun Astronomy.
  1. a star of the first magnitude and the brightest star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus.
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Origin of Fomalhaut

First recorded in 1585–95, Fomalhaut is from the Spanish Arabic word fam al-ḥawt mouth of the fish; so called from its position in the constellation
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for fomalhaut

Historical Examples

  • We're four weeks from the nearest star, Fomalhaut; you know that as well as I do.

    The Marooner

    Charles A. Stearns

  • As far as anyone knew, the atmosphere of Fomalhaut V actually was poisonous.

    The Judas Valley

    Gerald Vance

  • Fomalhaut I don't know about; I thought it French and masculine.

  • Fomalhaut in the most southern fish of the constellation Pisces at 2h.

  • And I don't want you to balk at its hard name—Fomalhaut (pronounced fo´-mal-o).

British Dictionary definitions for fomalhaut

Fomalhaut

noun
  1. the brightest star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus, possessing a protoplanetary disc. Distance: 25 light years. Spectral type A3V
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Word Origin

C16: from Arabic fum'l-hūt mouth of the fish, referring to its position in the constellation
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fomalhaut

Fomalhaut

bright star in the constellation Piscis Austrinis, 1594, from Arabic Fum al Hut "the Fish's Mouth," which describes its position in the imaginary star-picture.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper