Cassiopeia

noun

Cas·​si·​o·​pe·​ia ˌka-sē-ə-ˈpē-ə How to pronounce Cassiopeia (audio)
1
: the wife of King Cepheus who gives birth to Andromeda and is later changed into a constellation
2
[Latin (genitive Cassiopeiae), from Greek Kassiopeia] : a northern constellation between Andromeda and Cepheus

Examples of Cassiopeia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The constellation Cepheus is not nearly as bright as Cassiopeia and looks nothing like a king. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025 Similar-sounding names: Cassidy, Cassiopeia, Callista, Alessia, Carissa, Celestia, Catriona, Cecilia, Carys, Clarissa 12. Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025 From the blues and golds of the breathtaking Southern Ring Nebula to the pinks, oranges and purples of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images render the universe in brilliant color. Rebecca Sohn, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2025 In the astronomy category, photographer Imran Sultan captured the intricate details of two nebulae in the Cassiopeia constellation found more than 7,000 light years away. Rosa Rahimi, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024 Like Cassiopeia, the Big Dipper is also circumpolar, so the two are always opposite in the northern night sky. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024 In Dallas-Fort Worth, look north and find the constellation Cassiopeia. Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 15 Aug. 2024 There, in his observatory, Brahe discovered a supernova in the Cassiopeia formation and irregularities in the moon’s orbit, long before the invention of the telescope in 1608. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024 If the Chrysalis is still a dusty construction site, the nearby Cassiopeia is a hive of activity. Adrian Cho, science.org, 18 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Kassiopeia

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cassiopeia was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near Cassiopeia

Cite this Entry

“Cassiopeia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cassiopeia. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

Cassiopeia

noun
Cas·​si·​o·​pe·​ia ˌkas-ē-ə-ˈpē-(y)ə How to pronounce Cassiopeia (audio)
: a northern group of stars between Andromeda and Cepheus

More from Merriam-Webster on Cassiopeia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!