Galaxy Meaning
/ˈɡæl.ək.si/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe Milky Way; the apparent band of concentrated stars which appears in the night sky over earth.
nounAny of the collections of many millions or billions of stars, galactic dust, black holes, etc. existing as independent and coherent systems, of which there are billions in the known universe.
Sentence Examples
There are innumerable stars in the galaxy.
Our galaxy is called the Milky Way.
We were lucky to have been born in the same galaxy.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Through the telescope, he observed a distant ____ with billions of stars.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The Andromeda ____ is the nearest neighbor to our own and can even be seen with the naked eye.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English galaxye, galaxie, from Old French galaxie, from Latin galaxias, from Ancient Greek γαλαξίας (galaxías, “Milky Way”), shortening of γαλαξίας κύκλος (galaxías kúklos, “milky circle”), from γάλα (gála, “milk”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"So may thy cheekes red outweare scarlet dye, / And their white, whitenesse of the Galaxie [...]."
— 1633, John Donne, Sapho to Philænis:
"Grecian imagination ascribed to the galaxy or milky way an origin in the teeming breast of the queen of heaven[.]"
— 1833, Thomas Keightley, Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 5:
"[a] galaxy of science fiction stars."
— 1936 December 26, Thrilling Wonder Stories, page 127, column 1:
"Her walls and ceiling were covered with galaxy wallpaper; it was like stepping into space."
— 2016, Reyna Young, Hanover Falls, page 42:
"Her nerdy glasses sat perched on her face, and she wore a May the Force Be With You T-shirt with a black lace skirt, galaxy leggings, and a pair of white Star Wars Vans."
— 2017, Rebekah L. Purdy, Incriminating Dating:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Through the telescope, he observed a distant ____ with billions of stars.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The Andromeda ____ is the nearest neighbor to our own and can even be seen with the naked eye.