Ursa Major

noun

Ur·​sa Ma·​jor ˌər-sə-ˈmā-jər How to pronounce Ursa Major (audio)
: a constellation that is the most conspicuous of the northern constellations, is situated near the north pole of the heavens, and contains the stars forming the Big Dipper two of which are in a line indicating the direction of the North Star

called also Great Bear

Examples of Ursa Major in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Arcturus is Greek for 'bear guard,' which is fitting because it's located in line with the tail of the constellation Ursa Major, or great bear. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 Bode’s Galaxy And The Cigar Galaxy When: after dark all month Where: northern sky Ursa Minor and Ursa Major are home to two galaxies that look stunning in an 8-inch telescope. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Of course, when the basketball Hall of Famer had Ursa Major built, it was designed specifically for the 7-foot-1 star. Tj MacIas, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 Find it on Amazon Hydrate and Soothe With This Golden Hour Recovery Cream This Golden Hour Recovery Cream by Ursa Major is our go-to moisturizer. Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 The Big Dipper is not an official constellation but instead makes up the bright derriere and tail of Ursa Major. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2024 This Golden Hour Recovery Cream by Ursa Major is our go-to moisturizer. Talia Connor, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2024 Since then, Ursa Major revealed Series D and D-1 fundraising rounds that brought in $138 million from venture capital firms and institutional investors. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 1 Dec. 2023 Among Ursa Major’s new investors is RTX Ventures, the VC arm of the defense giant formerly known as Raytheon. Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Ursa Major.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin (genitive Ursae Majoris), literally, greater bear

First Known Use

circa 1627, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ursa Major was circa 1627

Dictionary Entries Near Ursa Major

Cite this Entry

“Ursa Major.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ursa%20Major. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Ursa Major

noun
Ur·​sa Ma·​jor ˌər-sə-ˈmā-jər How to pronounce Ursa Major (audio)
: the northern group of stars that is the easiest to pick out, is located near the north pole of the heavens, and contains the stars forming the Big Dipper two of which are in a line pointing in the direction of the North Star

called also Great Bear

More from Merriam-Webster on Ursa Major

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