Ursa Minor

noun

Ur·​sa Mi·​nor ˌər-sə-ˈmī-nər How to pronounce Ursa Minor (audio)
: a constellation that includes the north pole of the heavens and the stars which form the Little Dipper with the North Star at the tip of the handle

called also Little Bear

Examples of Ursa Minor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The constellation hovers just above Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, respectively). Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2024 In this far-off galaxy cluster, located roughly three billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Minor, gold and neon purple dots represent entire galaxies. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2024 Bode’s Galaxy And The Cigar Galaxy When: after dark all month Where: northern sky Ursa Minor and Ursa Major are home to two galaxies that look stunning in an 8-inch telescope. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The Little Dipper is also known as Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2024 Watch near the Ursa Minor constellation that night and evening to see up to three meteors per hour. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2024 The radiant, or the point in the sky where the meteors appear to emanate from, is the constellation Ursa Minor, the smaller celestial bear that contains the Little Dipper. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Jan. 2024 But that’s not an option: ALMA observes the Southern Hemisphere, and MACS0647-JD is nestled between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor in the north. Syris Valentine, Scientific American, 11 July 2023 Anchorage’s Alpenglow, Aurora, Bayshore, Chugach Optional, Kincaid, O’Malley, Polaris and Ursa Minor elementary schools all have cafeteria manager vacancies. Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Latin (genitive Ursae Minoris), literally, lesser bear

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ursa Minor was in 1638

Dictionary Entries Near Ursa Minor

Cite this Entry

“Ursa Minor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ursa%20Minor. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Ursa Minor

noun
Ursa Mi·​nor -ˈmī-nər How to pronounce Ursa Minor (audio)
: the group of stars that includes the north pole of the heavens and the stars which form the Little Dipper with the North Star at the tip of the handle

called also Little Bear

More from Merriam-Webster on Ursa Minor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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