galaxy

noun

gal·​axy ˈga-lək-sē How to pronounce galaxy (audio)
plural galaxies
1
a
often capitalized : milky way galaxy
used with the
b
: any of the very large groups of stars and associated matter that are found throughout the universe
2
a
: an assemblage of brilliant or notable persons or things
a galaxy of artists
b
: world sense 11
remained galaxies apart on the issueNewsweek

Did you know?

The system of stars that includes our sun looks, in the night sky, like a broad band of light. We call this band the Milky Way. The idea of the whiteness of the Milky Way being similar to that of milk is much older than the English language, however. Galaxias, the Greek word for the Milky Way, was derived from the Greek gala, “milk.” English galaxy, derived from Greek galaxias, was not used until the 19th century as a generic term for other star systems as well as the one in which we live.

Examples of galaxy in a Sentence

The event was attended by a galaxy of artists. they're a galaxy apart when it comes to politics
Recent Examples on the Web This new image also peers into a clump of helium gas surrounding the galaxy. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Studying the galaxy could reveal new insights about the early universe and the factors that affect star formation within galaxies, according to the authors. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 In rescuing Yoda from clone assassins in Episode III, this ''walking carpet'' did more to save the galaxy than anyone's ever given him credit for. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 The game lays it on thick, with cutscenes bordering on comedy that tout Earth’s united and militaristic regime, having already plundered the galaxy. Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 These kick velocities, in turn, could affect how galaxies form. Steve Nadis, WIRED, 25 Feb. 2024 No supernova had been seen so close to our planet since Kepler’s Supernova in 1604, when a star detonated within our galaxy at a distance of about 20,000 light-years. Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024 As science fiction goes, the film rewrote the rules, leading with revolutionary visuals and its equally striking sound design, to the extent that those elements took precedence over the plot: an interplanetary battle for the galaxy’s rarest resource. Peter Debruge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 In fact, our own 10-billion-year-old Milky Way may contain ancient stars that predate the galaxy and that are as old as the cosmos itself. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'galaxy.' 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

Middle English galaxias, galaxie, borrowed from Late Latin galaxias, borrowed from Greek galaxías (probably originally conjoined with kýklos "wheel"), from galakt-, stem of gála "milk" (going back to Indo-European *glkt-, attested elsewhere only in Latin lact-, lac "milk," Armenian kat'n) + -ias, noun suffix, especially of natural phenomena

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of galaxy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near galaxy

Cite this Entry

“Galaxy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galaxy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

galaxy

noun
gal·​axy ˈgal-ək-sē How to pronounce galaxy (audio)
plural galaxies
1
2
: one of the very large groups of stars and other matter that are found throughout the universe
Etymology

Middle English galaxie "the Milky Way," from Latin galaxias (same meaning), from Greek galaxias "Milky Way," from galakt-, gala "milk"

More from Merriam-Webster on galaxy

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