Proxima Centauri

[ prok-suh-muh ]

noun

1. the nearest star to the sun at a distance of 4.3 light-years, part of the Alpha Centauri triple-star system located in the constellation Centaurus.

Proxima Centauri

/ prŏk′sə-məsĕn-tôr′ē /

1. See under Alpha Centauri

Word History and Origins

Origin of Proxima Centauri¹

< New Latin: nearest (star) of Centaurus

Example Sentences

The closest Earth-like exoplanet to us -- and possibly the most famous -- is Proxima Centauri b, which is only 4 light-years away.

From Science Daily

Of the two, findings show that only for Proxima Centauri b would the machines be able to detect carbon dioxide if it were present.

From Science Daily

Even if I traveled for trillions of miles, I’d barely reach Proxima Centauri, the next closest star after the sun.

From Literature

It’s actually a triple star system, with two sunlike stars that orbit each other and a third star, called Proxima Centauri, that is much farther out.

From Scientific American

The closest star system to our own is Proxima Centauri, which famously hosts the exoplanet Proxima b.

From Salon