Canis Major

noun

Ca·​nis Ma·​jor ˌkā-nəs-ˈmā-jər How to pronounce Canis Major (audio)
ˌka-
: a constellation to the southeast of Orion containing Sirius

Examples of Canis Major in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Canis Minor and Canis Major represent Orion’s two hunting dogs, which trail him across winter skies. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024 There’s the great Orion himself, surrounded by his cast of characters like Taurus the Bull, Auriga the chariot driver, Gemini the Twins, Lepus the Killer Rabbit, Canis Minor the Little Dog, and Canis Major, the Big Dog. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2024 Close to the horizon is the brightest star in the sky: Sirius, the nose of the Big Dog in Canis Major. Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2022 Go outside about two hours after sunset and look southeast to find bright Sirius (in Canis Major), low on the horizon. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022 Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog. Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 26 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Canis Major.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin (genitive Canis Majoris), literally, greater dog

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Canis Major was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Canis Major

Cite this Entry

“Canis Major.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Canis%20Major. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

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