andromeda
andromeda Lexical Profile
• noun
A spiral galaxy in the Local Group, located approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth, known as the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.
"On a clear, dark night in areas free of light pollution, the Andromeda Galaxy is visible to the naked eye as a faint, glowing smudge in the sky."
A prominent constellation in the northern sky, located near Pegasus and named after the mythical Greek princess.
"Amateur astronomers frequently use the constellation of Andromeda as a guidepost to locate other deep-sky objects in the northern hemisphere."
Any of several evergreen shrubs of the genus Andromeda (or related genera like Pieris) in the heath family, native to northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
"The landscaper planted Japanese andromeda along the shaded border for its striking foliage and cascading clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers."
Word Nuance & Usage
In astronomy, 'Andromeda' is capitalized and refers to either the constellation or the nearby galaxy; in botany, it is often uncapitalized as a common noun for shrubs in the heath family.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'Andromeda', derived from Ancient Greek 'Androméda', meaning 'ruler of men' (from 'anēr' meaning 'man' and 'medein' meaning 'to rule' or 'to protect'). In Greek mythology, she was a princess rescued from a sea monster by Perseus.