Markab

noun

Mar·​kab ˈmär-ˌkab 

astronomy

: a blue-white star of the second magnitude that is the third brightest star in the constellation Pegasus

Full moon occurs in the early morning, and at night the moon moves below Pegasus. Early in the morning, it is below the western (right-hand) edge of the Square of Pegasus, with the stars Markab and Scheat above it and Fomalhaut … below it.

—Thomas D. Nicholson, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Aug. 1982

This is part of a constellation the body of the winged horse Pegasus, who has the dubious distinction of being upside down with his neck and head stretching west from Markab, the southwestern star of the four.

—Rodney Ash, Seattle Times, 7 Oct. 2010

called also Alpha Pegasi

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!