neb·u·la
 nebula
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- pronunciation:
- neb
y
l
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| inflections: |
nebulae, nebulas |
| definition 1: |
a cloud of interstellar dust or gas or both, that may appear as either a light or dark mass depending on how it absorbs, reflects, or re-emits incident radiation.
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| definition 2: |
a similar luminous mass of stars too far away to be seen as individual bodies; galactic nebula.
The famous Crab Nebula was formed by a supernova explosion that was observed from Earth in 1054. |
| related words: |
cloud |
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| derivation: |
nebular (adj.) |
Nebula is a Latin word that means "cloud or mist." It entered the English language in the 1500s as a term for the clouding of the eye we now call a "cataract." In the 1700s, "nebula" became a term in astronomy.