astronomy
English
Etymology
From Middle English astronomie, astronemy, from Old French astronomie, equivalent to astro- + -nomy. Displaced native Old English tungolcræft.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /əˈstɹɑn.ə.mi/, /æsˈtɹɑn.ə.mi/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɒnəmi
Noun
astronomy (usually uncountable, plural astronomies)
- The study of the physical universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere, including the process of mapping locations and properties of the matter and radiation in the universe.
- (obsolete) Astrology.
- 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 14”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
- Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck;
And yet methinks I have astronomy […]
Usage notes
- The study of the physical processes which control matter and energy in the universe is commonly called astrophysics. The investigation of the origin, evolution, and fate of the universe itself is called cosmology.
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Derived terms
Translations
study of the physical universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere
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References
- “astronomy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
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