Finesentence logo

Asterism: meaning, definitions and examples

✨
Add to dictionary

asterism

 

[ ˈæs.tə.rɪ.zəm ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

astronomy

An asterism is a pattern of stars recognized in the sky. It is usually smaller than a constellation and may be part of a larger constellation.

Synonyms

star pattern, stellar configuration

Examples of usage

  • The Big Dipper is a well-known asterism in the constellation Ursa Major.
  • The Summer Triangle is another popular asterism visible in the night sky.
Context #2 | Noun

typography

In typography, an asterism is a symbol consisting of three asterisks placed in a triangle (∴). It is used to indicate a break in text or to highlight a particular section.

Synonyms

triplicate, triskele

Examples of usage

  • The asterism is often used in dictionaries to mark the beginning of a new section.
  • You can use an asterism to separate different thoughts within a paragraph.

Translations

Translations of the word "asterism" in other languages:

🇵🇹 asterismo

🇮🇳 तारापुंज

🇩🇪 Asterismus

🇮🇩 asterisme

🇺🇦 астеризм

🇵🇱 asteryzm

🇯🇵 星群 (せいぐん)

🇫🇷 astérisme

🇪🇸 asterismo

🇹🇷 asterizm

🇰🇷 별자리

🇸🇦 تشكل النجوم

🇨🇿 asterismus

🇸🇰 asterizmus

🇨🇳 星群 (xīng qún)

🇸🇮 asterizem

🇮🇸 stjörnusamstæða

🇰🇿 жұлдыздар тобы

🇬🇪 ასტერიზმი

🇦🇿 asterizm

🇲🇽 asterismo

Etymology

The word 'asterism' originated from the Greek word 'asterismos', which means 'a marking with stars'. It has been used in astronomy for centuries to describe recognizable star patterns in the sky. In typography, the term 'asterism' was adopted to refer to the symbol of three asterisks, highlighting its use in separating text. Overall, 'asterism' has evolved to represent patterns and groupings in various fields.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,112, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.