Rigel

American  

[rahy-juhl, -guhl] / ˈraɪ dʒəl, -gəl /

noun

Astronomy.

1. a first-magnitude star in the constellation Orion.

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Rigel British  

/ ˈraɪdʒəl, ˈraɪɡəl /

noun

1. the brightest star, Beta Orionis, in the constellation Orion: a very luminous and extremely remote bluish-white supergiant, a double star. Visual magnitude: 0.12; spectral type: B8I

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Rigel Scientific  

/ rī′jəl /

1. A very bright, bluish-white supergiant star in the constellation Orion. It is a binary star, with an average apparent magnitude of 0.12. Scientific name: Beta Orionis.

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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

Orion boasts two first-magnitude stars, with Betelgeuse marking the shoulder to the viewer’s left and Rigel his foot on the right.

From National Geographic

Rigel said when weighing the risk of chemicals in sunscreen and getting skin cancer, what is really happening is that people are weighing an "unproven risk with a proven benefit."

From Salon

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

Your body can convert only a fixed amount of vitamin D a day, Rigel said.

From Washington Post

The folks who led that include Run for Something alumni Rigel Robinson and Terry Taplin.

From Salon