Dictionary

asterism en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈæs.təˌrɪz.əm/ (US)
• /ˈas.təˌɹɪz.əm/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀστερισμός (asterismós, “a group of stars”), from ἀστήρ (astḗr, “star”). Analyzable as aster- + -ism.

Meanings

1. An unofficial constellation (small group of stars that forms a visible pattern).
   • Of the constellations, or asterisms. [...] It therefore became necessary to adopt a more general method of distinguishing them. This was accomplished by portioning out the heavens into imaginary figures, of men, birds, fishes, &c. called Constellations or Asterisms. 1825, Geo G. Carey, Astronomy, as it is known at the present day, London, p. 66 f:
   • The Big Dipper, Summer Triangle, and Orion's Belt are asterisms.
   • Like Pisces and Capricorn, Aquarius is located in that part of the sky known as "Astral Sea," a region inhabited by water asterisms such as Eridanus, Cetus (the Whale), and the Dolphin. 2007, Matilde Battistini, Rosanna M. Giammanco Frongia (translation from Italian into English), Astrology, Magic, and Alchemy in Art, page 60:
2. A rarely used typographical symbol of three asterisks arranged in a triangle, ⁂, used to call attention to a passage or to separate subchapters in a book. Distinct from a dinkus which also uses asterisks to separate.
3. A star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals by reflected light (as in a star sapphire) or by transmitted light (as in some mica).

Forms

Deriveds

asterismal

Relateds

asteroidal · asteroid · syzygy · catasterism · aster · starstone · constellation · asterisk · stellar

Synonyms

star cluster

Translations (76)

de Asterismus (constellation) · la asterismus (constellation) · pt asterismo (small group of stars) · it asterismo (typographical symbol) · fi asterismi (small group of stars) · fr astérisme (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · fi tähdistö (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · es asterismo (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · hu csillagalakzat (small group of stars) · de Asterismus (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · ceb asterismo (constellation) · ja アステリズム (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · fi asterismi (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · fi tähtikuvio (small group of stars) · ga astaireacht (small group of stars) · fi tähdistö (constellation) · ru астери́зм (typographical symbol) · pt asterismo (typographical symbol) · fi kolme asteriskia (typographical symbol) · sh астеризам (typographical symbol) · ota نجم (small group of stars) · fa صورتواره (small group of stars) · ko 성군 (small group of stars) · fr constellation (constellation) · ar كَوْكَبَة (constellation) · cmn 星群 (constellation) · ar نَجْمِيَّة (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · es asterismo (typographical symbol) · pt asterismo (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · it asterismo (small group of stars) · ru астери́зм (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · ar بُرْج (constellation) · ceb asterismo (typographical symbol) · ga réaltlach (constellation) · ga réaltlach (small group of stars) · ja スター効果 (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · ja 星形の光 (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · ja 星座 (constellation) · fi tähdistö (small group of stars) · it asterismo (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · ja 星彩効果 (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · tr asterizm (typographical symbol) · ar كُوَيْكِبَة (small group of stars) · sv asterism (typographical symbol) · ja 星群 (small group of stars) · fi tähdistö (typographical symbol) · ar صُورَة سَمَاوِيَّة (constellation) · ms asterisme (small group of stars) · ga astaireacht (constellation) · ru астери́зм (small group of stars) · ceb asterismo (small group of stars) · fa اخترگان (small group of stars) · cmn 星群 (small group of stars) · pl asteryzm (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · de Sternbild (constellation) · ota نجم (constellation) · nl asterisme (typographical symbol) · fa صورتک (small group of stars) · ga astaireacht (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · fr astérisme (constellation) · ja アステリズム (small group of stars) · ru три звёздочки (typographical symbol) · fa صورتواره (constellation) · ja アステリズム (typographical symbol) · ar صُورَة نَجْمِيَّة (constellation) · pt asterismo (constellation) · vi mảng sao (small group of stars) · ja 星彩 (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · ceb asterismo (a star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals) · fr astérisme (typographical symbol) · nn asterisme (typographical symbol) · es asterismo (constellation) · grc ἀστερισμός (constellation) · fa پیکره (constellation) · es constelación (constellation) · de Asterism (typographical symbol)