Sirius
/ˈsɪri.əs/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
Σείριος — glowing, scorching
Overview
Meaning Now
- The brightest star in the night sky, located in the constellation Canis Major.
- A star system, also known as the 'Dog Star'.
Literal older meaning
glowing or scorching
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Ancient Greek → Latin → English
Earliest form
Σείριος (Seirios)
Earliest period
8th century BCE
Journey
In antiquity, the heliacal rising of Sirius coincided with the hottest time of the year in the Mediterranean, leading to the term 'dog days'. The Greeks believed the star's heat added to the sun's intensity during this period.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
Σείριος
“glowing, scorching”
Used as an adjective to describe the sun or the star.
- Latin
Sirius
“The Dog Star”
Adopted into Latin as the proper name for the star.
- Modern English
Sirius
“The brightest star in the night sky”
Maintained as the standard astronomical designation.
Connections
Word parts
Sirius
root
glowing
Related across languages
Sanskrit
svár
sun, brightness
Explore next
Related to Sirius
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.