Ursa Major

[ ur-suh mey-jer ]

noun

, Astronomy.

, genitive Ur·sae Ma·jor·is [ur, -see m, uh, -, jawr, -is, -, johr, -].

1. the Great Bear, the most prominent northern constellation, containing the seven stars that form the Big Dipper.

Ursa Major

/ ˈɜːsə ˈmeɪdʒə /

noun

1. an extensive conspicuous constellation in the N hemisphere, visible north of latitude 40°. The seven brightest stars form the Plough. A line through the two brightest stars points to the Pole Star lying in Ursa Minor Also calledthe Great Bearthe Bear

Ursa Major

/ ûr′sə /

1. A constellation in the polar region of the Northern Hemisphere near Draco and Leo. Ursa Major (the Great Bear) contains the seven stars that form the Big Dipper.

Ursa Major

1. A constellation ; the Great Bear. ( See Big Dipper .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ursa Major¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Word History and Origins

Origin of Ursa Major¹

Latin: greater bear

Example Sentences

Located 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major, this galaxy is relatively compact in size but hosts a frenzy of star formation activity.

From Science Daily

Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is one of the most prominent northern constellations, and its main claim to fame is that it contains the Big Dipper, a highly recognizable asterism.

From National Geographic

I choose the projector disc that shows Ursa Major, of course.

From Literature

M101 appears in the sky near the end of the handle of the Big Dipper, in the constellation Ursa Major.

From Scientific American

I was trying to ignore the outline of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, drawn on the screen, when Pat said, “It’s gone. The Horn’s gone.”

From New York Times