English
asterism
Asterism comes from Ancient Greek ἀστερισμός ‘a group of stars’, from ἀστήρ ‘star’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂stḗr‘star’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*astḗr‘star’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀστήρastḗr‘star’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀστερισμόςasterismós‘a group of stars’
- Englishearliest quotation 1825asterism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂stḗr‘star’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*astḗr‘star’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀστήρastḗr‘star’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀστερισμόςasterismós‘a group of stars’
- Englishearliest quotation 1825asterism
Earliest quotation: 1825, Geo G. Carey, Astronomy: “Of the constellations, or asterisms. [...] It therefore became…”
Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr ‘star’
Proto-Hellenic *astḗr ‘star’
Ancient Greek ἀστήρ ‘a celestial body’
Latin astēr ‘Aster amellus’
English aster
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₁s- ‘to burn, glow’
constellation, stellate, 20 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr ‘star’
star, sterling, disaster, stellar, stella, 26 more
through Ancient Greek ἀστήρ ‘star’
Today it means
noun An unofficial constellation (small group of stars that forms a visible pattern).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr / asterism