Vesta
[ves-tuh]
- the ancient Roman goddess of the hearth, worshiped in a temple containing an altar on which a sacred fire was kept burning by the vestal virgins: identified with the Greek Hestia.
- Astronomy. the third largest and one of the four brightest asteroids.
- (lowercase) British. a short friction match with a wood or wax shank.
- a female given name.
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Origin of Vesta
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for vesta
Contemporary Examples
On the planet Vesta, there are plenty of crystals to treasure.
Space Bling: From Diamond Planets to Crystal Oceans to Precious Moon JewelsAlexa Valiente, Jaewon Kang
October 13, 2012
Historical Examples
The Vesta separators, or "mats," are treated by a special process.
The Automobile Storage BatteryO. A. Witte
Vesta'd give you a job in a minute, and she'd pay you good money, too.
The Duke Of Chimney ButteG. W. Ogden
Vesta Philbrook was trying to help the old negro to his feet.
The Duke Of Chimney ButteG. W. Ogden
He gave Whetstone the reins and galloped after Vesta, who was already over the hill.
The Duke Of Chimney ButteG. W. Ogden
The shooting had ceased when he came into the clear and pulled up to look for Vesta.
The Duke Of Chimney ButteG. W. Ogden
vesta
- a short friction match, usually of wood
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Word Origin
C19: named after the goddess; see Vesta 1
Vesta1
- the Roman goddess of the hearth and its fire. In her temple a perpetual flame was tended by the vestal virginsGreek counterpart: Hestia
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Vesta2
- the brightest of the four largest asteroids. Diameter: about 530 km (240 miles)
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Word Origin
C19: named after the goddess; see Vesta 1
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
Vesta
[vĕs′tə]
- The brightest of all the asteroids and the fourth to be discovered, in 1807. It is the third largest, with a diameter of about 530 km (329 mi), and the only asteroid that can be seen without a telescope. Evidence of lava flows on its surface suggests that it once had a molten interior. See more at asteroid.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Vesta
The Roman and Greek goddess of the hearth and home. Roman and Greek cities were supposed to have a public hearth dedicated to Vesta, at which the fire was kept constantly burning.
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.