Large Magellanic Cloud
noun
: the larger of two companion satellite galaxies near the Milky Way that is visible in the southern hemisphere and can be seen by the unaided eye
The Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy to our own Milky Way, is known to be poor in metals compared with the Milky Way and other galaxies, so any star that condensed in it would likely be deficient in metals, and that could make it blue.—
Dietrick E. Thomsen
Dietrick E. Thomsencalled also Magellanic Cloud
Examples of Large Magellanic Cloud in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This image captures the Rubin Observatory beneath a dazzling sweep of the southern Milky Way galaxy, with the Large Magellanic Cloud glowing softly to the left.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
From the Large Magellanic Cloud, the closest intact galaxy beyond the Milky Way.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
In a surprising discovery, astronomers have found an enormous, shell-like structure called a nova super-remnant (NSR) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a galaxy located approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
The Large Magellanic Cloud lies about 160,000 light-years from Earth, the Small Magellanic Cloud about 200,000 light-years away.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Sep. 2025
Exactly which of these scenarios ultimately occurs could be governed by the masses of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Triangulum galaxy, two galactic players in the Local Group.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
One confounding factor comes from two other LG galaxies: M33, a satellite galaxy, and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2025
Its location, though, is suspicious: it’s located just three degrees from the edge of the Large Magellanic Cloud (or LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2025
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.
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
From the Large Magellanic Cloud, the closest intact galaxy beyond the Milky Way.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
In a surprising discovery, astronomers have found an enormous, shell-like structure called a nova super-remnant (NSR) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a galaxy located approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
The Large Magellanic Cloud lies about 160,000 light-years from Earth, the Small Magellanic Cloud about 200,000 light-years away.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Sep. 2025
Exactly which of these scenarios ultimately occurs could be governed by the masses of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Triangulum galaxy, two galactic players in the Local Group.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
One confounding factor comes from two other LG galaxies: M33, a satellite galaxy, and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2025
Its location, though, is suspicious: it’s located just three degrees from the edge of the Large Magellanic Cloud (or LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Large Magellanic Cloud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Large%20Magellanic%20Cloud. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share