cluster

C1 Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈklʌstɚ/ UK /ˈklʌstə/ See IPA manual

Freq #11346

Meanings

1

noun
A group of similar things positioned close together.

A cluster of small islands lay off the coast.
2

verb
To come together in a close group.

The children clustered around the puppy.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a group of similar things... clump

2 verb · to come together in a close... clump

More constellate

Word family

Forms clusteredclusteringclusters

Derived forms biclustercluster-ballcluster-fuckcluster-wiseclusterabilityclusterableclusterballclustercentricclustercoreclusteredclustererclusterful

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

cluster headache
a very painful headache that returns in repeated episodes

Noun + noun

Etymology

The noun is derived from Middle English cluster (“bunch, cluster, spray; compact body or mass, ball”) [and other forms], from Old English cluster, clyster (“cluster, bunch, branch”), from Proto-Germanic *klas-, *klus- (“to clump, lump together”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up; to clench; to amass”)) + *-þrą (suffix forming nouns denoting an instrument or tool). The English word is probably a doublet of clot. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Dutch klister (“cluster”) (dialectal) * Icelandic klasi (“cluster; bunch of grapes”) * Low German Kluuster (“cluster”)…

*gel- Proto-Indo-European cluster Old English *klas- Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# cluster

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈklʌstɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈklʌstə/
**Frequency rank:** 11346

## Meanings
1. A group of similar things positioned close together.
2. To come together in a close group.

## Examples
- A cluster of small islands lay off the coast.
- The children clustered around the puppy.

## Synonyms
- constellate

## Derived Forms
- bicluster
- cluster-ball
- cluster-fuck
- cluster-wise
- clusterability
- clusterable
- clusterball
- clustercentric
- clustercore
- clustered
- clusterer
- clusterful

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gel-
- Root: cluster
- Root: *klas-

## Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English cluster (“bunch, cluster, spray; compact body or mass, ball”) [and other forms], from Old English cluster, clyster (“cluster, bunch, branch”), from Proto-Germanic *klas-, *klus- (“to clump, lump together”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up; to clench; to amass”)) + *-þrą (suffix forming nouns denoting an instrument or tool). The English word is probably a doublet of clot. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Dutch klister (“cluster”) (dialectal) * Icelandic klasi (“cluster; bunch of grapes”) * Low German Kluuster (“cluster”)…

## AI Etymology
Cluster has separate etymological notes: The noun is derived from Middle English cluster (“bunch, cluster, spray; compact body or mass, ball”) [and other forms], from Old English cluster, clyster (“cluster, bunch, branch”), from Proto-Germanic *klas-, *klus- (“to clump, lump together”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up; to clench; to amass”)) + *-þrą (suffix forming nouns denoting an instrument or tool). The English word is probably a doublet of clot. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates Dutch klister (“cluster”) (dialectal) Icelandic klasi (“cluster; bunch of grapes”) Low German Kluuster (“cluster”)… The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *gel- (Proto-Indo-European), cluster (Middle English), and *klas- (Proto-Germanic). Current senses include a group of similar things positioned close together and to come together in a close group. The wider family includes derived forms such as bicluster, cluster-ball, cluster-fuck, cluster-wise, and clusterability.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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