constellation

noun kohn-steh-lah-SYOHN Rare

Origin: Latin constellatio (group of stars)

Usage Note

Constellation is used both astronomically (the 88 official star patterns) and figuratively: une constellation de talents means a dazzling array of talented people. The grammatical gender of a constellation's name varies: la Grande Ourse is feminine while le Scorpion is masculine, so the article must match each name individually.

Examples

"Orion est une constellation visible en hiver."

Natural Translation

Orion is a constellation visible in winter.

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