Pleiades

plural noun

Ple·​ia·​des ˈplē-ə-ˌdēz 

ˈplā-,

chiefly British

ˈplī- 

1

: the seven daughters of Atlas turned into a group of stars in Greek mythology

2

: a conspicuous cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus that includes six stars in the form of a very small dipper

Examples of Pleiades in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The layout of the Mayan calendar is represented through the resort's circular buildings, which reflects the position of the Pleiades constellation. —Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 20 Jan. 2025

Magnification means a narrower field of view, but which can make smaller deep-sky objects harder to find, such as the Pleiades (M45), the Perseus Double Cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884) and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). —Jamie Carter, Space.com, 20 Jan. 2025

Uranus will appear to be near the Pleiades, a bright star cluster that is visible to the naked eye. —Gretchen Rundorff, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2025

In Greek and Roman mythology, Maia was the eldest of the Pleiades and was a fertility goddess. —Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Pleiades

plural noun

Ple·​ia·​des ˈplē-ə-ˌdēz 

: a loose cluster of stars in Taurus that is easily seen by a person with average sight