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astronomical unit

noun

, Astronomy.
  1. a unit of length, equal to the mean distance of the earth from the sun: approximately 93 million miles (150 million km). : AU


astronomical unit

noun

  1. a unit of distance used in astronomy equal to the mean distance between the earth and the sun. 1 astronomical unit is equivalent to 1.495 × 10 11metres or about 9.3 × 10 7miles
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


astronomical unit

/ ăs′trə-nŏmĭ-kəl /

  1. A unit of length equal to the average distance from Earth to the Sun, approximately 149.6 million km (92.8 million mi). It is used especially to measure distances within the solar system.
  2. Compare light-year


astronomical unit

  1. The mean distance between the Earth and the sun , about 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers. It is often abbreviated as AU.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of astronomical unit1

First recorded in 1900–05
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Compare Meanings

How does astronomical unit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

In naming these enormous distances what astronomical unit is used?

That was one astronomical unit, equal to about ninety-three million miles, the distance from Earth to the sun.

We are, so to speak, an astronomical unit, and we affect each other for better or for worse.

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astronomical twilightastronomical year