Rigel
Americannoun
noun
Word History
The history of astronomy owes much to Arabic scientists of the Middle Ages, who preserved the astronomical learning of ancient Greece and made improvements on it. The English names of many of the brightest stars in the heavens are Arabic in origin. The name of the supergiant star Rigel, for example, comes from the Arabic word for “foot” (the foot of the constellation Orion, that is). Some other important stars whose names are Arabic include Aldebaran, “the one following (the Pleiades)”; Betelgeuse, “hand of Orion”; Deneb, “tail” (of the constellation Cygnus, the swan); and Altair, “the flying eagle” (in the constellation Aquila, the eagle). The names of other stars are usually Greek or Latin, such as Antares or Sirius, as are the names of the constellations.
Etymology
Origin of Rigel
First recorded in 1585–95, Rigel is from the Arabic word rijl foot, so called from its position in the left foot of the figure of Orion
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.
Sitting between Rigel and Betelgeuse is Orion’s stellar line of three stars, Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, marking the Hunter’s belt.
From National Geographic ● Aug. 23, 2023
Slowly he swept it across the horizon: Polaris, Rigel, Betelgeuse, Orion’s red fist.
From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2022
The glaring shortage is mainly why city officials back the university’s plan, including city Councilmember Rigel Robinson, who represents the People’s Park area.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 25, 2022
The folks who led that include Run for Something alumni Rigel Robinson and Terry Taplin.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2022
I could have any star I wanted, Dad said, except Betelgeuse and Rigel, because Lori and Brian had already laid claim to them.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
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.
