constellation

C2+ Topic:Astronomy & Space

US /ˌkɑnstəˈleɪʃən/ UK /ˌkɒnstəˈleɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a recognized pattern of stars, or any grouping of related things

A whole constellation of symptoms pointed to the rare disease.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a recognized pattern of... cluster group array assemblage configuration collection galaxy

Word family

Derived forms constellateconstellatory

Related forms stellarstellateinterstellar star

Simplified etymology

Constellation, recorded in Middle English, ultimately derives from Latin stella, “star.” The Latin word is related to Greek astēr and astron, which also produced many English words connected with stars.

Etymology

From Late Latin constellatio ('a set of stars'), from con- ('together') + stella ('star'), from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'star'.

constellatio Latin stella Latin *h₂stḗr Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Astronomy & Space Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# constellation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌkɑnstəˈleɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkɒnstəˈleɪʃən/

## Meanings
1. a recognized pattern of stars, or any grouping of related things

## Examples
- A whole constellation of symptoms pointed to the rare disease.

## Synonyms
- cluster
- group
- array
- assemblage
- configuration
- collection
- galaxy

## Derived Forms
- constellate
- constellatory

## Related Forms
- stellar
- stellate
- interstellar
- star

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: constellatio
- Root: stella
- Root: *h₂stḗr

## Etymology
From Late Latin constellatio ('a set of stars'), from con- ('together') + stella ('star'), from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'star'.

## AI Etymology
Constellation is from Late Latin constellatio ('a set of stars'), from con- ('together') + stella ('star'), from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'star'. The ancestry passes through Latin constellatio, Latin stella, and Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr. The prefix con- adds togetherness, combination, or intensification where the Latin formation gives it that value, helping to explain the word's surface structure. In present use as a noun, it means "a recognized pattern of stars, or any grouping of related things", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include stellar, stellate, interstellar, and star; derived forms include constellate and constellatory.

## Topics
- Astronomy & Space
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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