- pronunciation:
- gae
l
k
si
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| inflections: |
galaxies |
| definition 1: |
a system of billions of stars and other matter held relatively close to each other by gravity and separated from other such systems by vast distances.
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| definition 2: |
(usu. cap.) such a star system that contains Earth; the Milky Way.
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| definition 3: |
a group of brilliant, beautiful, or prominent people.
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The word
galaxy comes
galaktos, an ancient Greek word that means "milk." The Latin word for "milk",
lac, also came from this Greek word. The Latin phrase
via lactea, or "the Milky Way," is where the name of Earth's galaxy comes from.