Sirius
pronunciation
How to pronounce Sirius in British English:
UK [ˈsiriəs]
How to pronounce Sirius in American English:
US [ˈsɪriəs]
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- Noun:
- the brightest star in the sky; in Canis Major
Word Origin
- Sirius (n.)
- brightest star by magnitude, late 14c., from Latin Sirius "the Dog Star," from Greek Seirios, said to mean literally "scorching" or "the scorcher." But other related Greek words seem to derive from this use, and the name might be a folk-etymologized borrowing from some other language. An Egyptian name for it was Sothis. The connection of the star with scorching heat is from its ancient heliacal rising at the summer solstice (see dog days). Also see dog star. Related: Sirian. The constellation Canis Major seems to have grown from the star, not the other way. Homer made much of it as [Kyon], but his Dog doubtless was limited to the star Sirius, as among the ancients generally till, at some unknown date, the constellation was formed as we have it, -- indeed till long afterwards, for we find many allusions to the Dog in which we are uncertain whether the constellation or its lucida is referred to. [Richard Hinckley Allen, Canis Major in "Star Names and Their Meanings," London: 1899]
Example
- 1. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky .
- 2. What do you know about sirius black , harry ?
- 3. Their numbers were still growing when sirius xm put out its most recent figures , for the third quarter of 2008 .
- 4. He felt as if he 'd lost sirius a second time .
- 5. Hermione should be upset for sirius , not for her damn theories !