cluster

[ kluhs-ter ]

noun

1. a number of things of the same kind, growing or held together; a bunch:

   a cluster of grapes.

2. a group of things or persons close together:

   There was a cluster of tourists at the gate.

3. U.S. Army. a small metal design placed on a ribbon representing an awarded medal to indicate that the same medal has been awarded again:

   oak-leaf cluster.

4. Phonetics. a succession of two or more contiguous consonants in an utterance, as the str- cluster of strap.
5. Astronomy. a group of neighboring stars, held together by mutual gravitation, that have essentially the same age and composition and thus supposedly a common origin. Compare globular cluster, open cluster, stellar association.

verb (used with object)

1. to gather into a cluster or clusters.
2. to furnish or cover with clusters.

verb (used without object)

1. to form a cluster or clusters:

   The people clustered around to watch.

   Synonyms: bunch, crowd, throng, gather, group

cluster

/ ˈklʌstə /

noun

1. a number of things growing, fastened, or occurring close together
2. a number of persons or things grouped together
3. military a metal insignia worn on a medal ribbon to indicate a second award or a higher class of a decoration or order
4. military
   1. a group of bombs dropped in one stick, esp fragmentation and incendiary bombs
   2. the basic unit of mines used in laying a minefield
5. astronomy an aggregation of stars or galaxies moving together through space
6. a group of two or more consecutive vowels or consonants
7. statistics a naturally occurring subgroup of a population used in stratified sampling
8. chem
   1. a chemical compound or molecule containing groups of metal atoms joined by metal-to-metal bonds
   2. the group of linked metal atoms present

verb

1. to gather or be gathered in clusters

Derived Forms

• ˈclustery, adjective
• ˈclustered, adjective
• ˈclusteringly, adverb

Other Words From

• cluster·ing·ly adverb
• cluster·y adjective
• inter·cluster adjective
• sub·cluster noun
• un·clustered adjective
• un·cluster·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cluster¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English cluster, clyster bunch; cognate with Low German kluster

Word History and Origins

Origin of cluster¹

Old English clyster; related to Low German Kluster; see clod , clot

Example Sentences

According to health authorities, workplaces were the source for a quarter of the infection clusters reported since the lifting of heavy lockdown.

From Fortune

That’s when teams in Germany and Austria each used Gaia to show many stars already had left the cluster.

From Science News For Students

Where a cluster may hold a few thousand stars, a galaxy can be home to far more.

From Science News For Students

Last year, astronomers finally managed to examine a far sparser region of space—the expanse between galaxy clusters.

From Singularity Hub 

Last year, astronomers finally managed to examine a far sparser region of space — the expanse between galaxy clusters.

From Quanta Magazine

To his credit, Huckabee is conscious of the fact that he will need a cluster of deep-pocketed patrons and bundlers.

From The Daily Beast

Art Basel itself is but the center of a cluster of mega-shows taking place in Miami this week.

From The Daily Beast

But the runaway best example of the game is another cluster of British luxury vehicles—Range Rover, Land Rover and Jaguar.

From The Daily Beast

But the crown itself (or headband or cluster of buds) screams disingenuous.

From The Daily Beast

There is now a black dot in a cluster of reeds about two hundred meters downstream.

From The Daily Beast

With the tertian parasite, the segments more frequently form an irregular cluster.

From Project Gutenberg

In the course of an hour a cluster of dark objects appeared on the bench, coming rapidly toward us.

From Project Gutenberg

Behind it was a cluster of low hills set with narrow fields and tiny white houses.

From Project Gutenberg

They made a cluster of flashing color whose center point was a tiny airship, a speedster, a gay little craft.

From Project Gutenberg

He kept looking at the open sky above the river, waiting for the cluster to rise high so he could see it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bundle
• flock
• gather
• round up