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Definition of centaur

centaur

/ˈsɛn.tɔːr/
cen · taur
Plural:centaurs
•
Adjective:centaurian
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centaur Lexical Profile

centaur Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A creature from classical Greek mythology depicted with the upper torso, arms, and head of a human joined to the body and legs of a horse.

Example

"In ancient Greek mythology, Chiron was a wise and benevolent centaur who tutored several famous heroes in medicine and music."

2

A class of small icy Solar System bodies that orbit the Sun between Jupiter and Neptune and exhibit characteristics of both asteroids and comets.

Example

"Astronomers discovered a new centaur whose unstable orbit crosses the paths of both Saturn and Uranus."

• Rhymes for centaur

• Nearby Words

censure
census
cent
centaur
centaurea
centavo
centenarian

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed via Latin Centaurus from Ancient Greek Kentauros, a word of uncertain pre-Greek origin traditionally associated with the skilled horsemen of ancient Thessaly.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Centaur. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/centaur
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