astronomy

US /əˈstɹɑn.ə.mi/ See IPA manual

Freq #15209

Meanings

1

noun
The scientific study of the stars, planets, and the universe.

She is studying astronomy because she loves looking at the night sky.

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms archaeastronomyarchaeoastronomyarcheoastronomyastronomerastronomessastronomickastronomistbioastronomyethnoastronomypaleoastronomy

Related forms aberration asteroid astralastrologistastrologyastrometryastronomer astronomical astronomicallyastrophysicscomet constellation

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

radio astronomy
the study of space through radio waves emitted by celestial objects

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Astronomy entered English in the Middle English period from a Greek term meaning “star-arranging,” whose first element is astron, “star.” In medieval usage astronomy could also include what later became the distinct field of astrology.

Etymology

From Middle English astronomie, astronemy, from Old French astronomie, equivalent to astro- + -nomy. Displaced native Old English tungolcræft.

astronomie Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Astronomy & Space General Vocabulary

External links

# astronomy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əˈstɹɑn.ə.mi/
**Frequency rank:** 15209

## Meanings
1. The scientific study of the stars, planets, and the universe.

## Examples
- She is studying astronomy because she loves looking at the night sky.

## Derived Forms
- archaeastronomy
- archaeoastronomy
- archeoastronomy
- astronomer
- astronomess
- astronomick
- astronomist
- bioastronomy
- ethnoastronomy
- paleoastronomy

## Related Forms
- aberration
- asteroid
- astral
- astrologist
- astrology
- astrometry
- astronomer
- astronomical
- astronomically
- astrophysics
- comet
- constellation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: astronomie

## Etymology
From Middle English astronomie, astronemy, from Old French astronomie, equivalent to astro- + -nomy. Displaced native Old English tungolcræft.

## AI Etymology
Astronomy is from Middle English astronomie, astronemy, from Old French astronomie, equivalent to astro- plus -nomy. Displaced native Old English tungolcræft. The formation is semantically transparent: the parts remain visible, while the compound or affix fixes the grammatical role and narrows the modern meaning. In use as a noun, astronomy denotes the scientific study of the stars, planets, and the universe. The same word family continues in derived forms such as archaeastronomy, archaeoastronomy, archeoastronomy, and astronomer and related entries such as aberration, asteroid, astral, and astrologist.

## Topics
- Astronomy & Space
- General Vocabulary

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