noun
Common
galaxy
GAL-uhk-see
Galaxy (noun) means a massive system of stars, gas, dust, and often a central black hole, held together by gravity. Example: “Astronomers study how a spiral galaxy forms and slowly changes over time.”
noun
1
A massive system of stars, gas, dust, and often a central black hole, held together by gravity.
"Astronomers study how a spiral galaxy forms and slowly changes over time."
"Our solar system sits in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy."
"Telescopes have photographed galaxies billions of light-years away."
2
An impressive collection of brilliant or famous people or things.
"The conference welcomed a galaxy of scientists from all over the world."
"A whole galaxy of famous chefs cooked at the charity dinner."
"The gala brought together a galaxy of Hollywood stars."
How to use galaxy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA huge cluster of stars in space, or figuratively, an impressive gathering of talented or famous people.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a galaxy far, far away
a galaxy of stars (celebrities)
spiral galaxy
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Word forms
- Plural
- galaxies
- Third person singular
- galaxies
- Past tense
- galaxied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Astronomers study how a spiral _____ forms and slowly changes over time.
Etymology
From Greek galaxias, short for "milky circle," from gala ("milk") — describing the pale, milky band of the Milky Way visible in the night sky.
Synonyms
View more →
star system
constellation
host
array
cluster
pantheon
coltsfoot
beetleweed
G
star city
trichiliocosm
island universe
Related words
Rhymes for galaxy
See all rhymes for galaxy →Frequently asked questions
What does “galaxy” mean?
The word “galaxy” means a massive system of stars, gas, dust, and often a central black hole, held together by gravity. In plain terms, a huge cluster of stars in space, or figuratively, an impressive gathering of talented or famous people.
How do you pronounce “galaxy”?
“Galaxy” is pronounced GAL-uhk-see (/ˈɡæl.ək.si/ in IPA).
How do you use “galaxy” in a sentence?
Here is “galaxy” used in a sentence: “Our solar system sits in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy.”
What is another word for “galaxy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “galaxy” include G, star city, trichiliocosm and island universe.
What part of speech is “galaxy”?
“Galaxy” is a noun.
Where does the word “galaxy” come from?
The word “galaxy” comes from Greek. From Greek galaxias, short for "milky circle," from gala ("milk") — describing the pale, milky band of the Milky Way visible in the night sky.
Is “galaxy” a common word?
“Galaxy” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “galaxy” have?
“Galaxy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a massive system of stars, gas, dust, and often a central black hole, held together by gravity.
What is the difference between a galaxy and a solar system?
A solar system is a single star with the planets and objects orbiting it, while a galaxy is a vast system containing billions of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity. Our solar system is just one tiny part of the Milky Way galaxy.
What is the difference between a galaxy and the universe?
A galaxy is one enormous system of stars bound together by gravity, whereas the universe is everything that exists, containing billions of galaxies. In short, galaxies are individual structures within the much larger universe.
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