astronomer

noun

as·tron·o·mer ə-ˈsträ-nə-mər

: a person who is skilled in astronomy or who makes observations of celestial phenomena

Examples of astronomer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Some even caught the northern lights at the same time. 0:00 1:11 USA TODAY The Perseids, considered among astronomers to be the best meteor shower of the year, reached peak activity Sunday night. —

Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2024 Sunday 💫 Enjoy the Perseids, one of the most abundant meteor showers of the year, with local astronomers. —

Shawna Chen, Axios, 8 Aug. 2024 That means that Kepler's famed schematic drawing diagrammed in his book conflicts with both camera obscura images and the astronomer's original text. —

Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 31 July 2024 Advertisement Countless amateur astronomers and observatories around the world — and in space — are planning to watch the explosion, called a nova. —

Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for astronomer

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'astronomer.' 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, "one versed in astronomy or astrology," from astronomie astronomy + -er -er entry 2

Note: Alternatively, Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, and Middle English Dictionary see the English word as derived from Medieval and Late Latin astronomus "astronomer" (borrowed from Greek astronómos) plus the agent suffix -er.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of astronomer was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century