SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Taurus

play

noun Tau·rus \ ˈtȯr-əs \

Definition of Taurus

1 :a zodiacal constellation that contains the Pleiades and Hyades and is represented pictorially by a bull's forequarters

2 a :the second sign of the zodiac in astrology

b :one born under the sign of Taurus — see Signs of the Zodiac Table

See Taurus defined for English-language learners

See Taurus defined for kids

Examples of taurus in a Sentence

My friend is an Aries while I'm a Taurus.

Origin and Etymology of taurus

Middle English, from Latin (genitive Tauri), literally, bull

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Taurus

play

geographical name Tau·rus \ ˈtȯr-əs \

variants: or Turkish Toros play \tȯ-ˈrȯs\

Definition of Taurus

mountains in southern Turkey parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coast

See Taurus defined for kids

Examples of taurus in a Sentence

My friend is an Aries while I'm a Taurus.

TAURUS Defined for English Language Learners

Taurus

play

noun

Definition of Taurus for English Language Learners

: the second sign of the zodiac that comes between Aries and Gemini and has a bull as its symbol
: a person born under the sign of Taurus : a person born between April 20 and May 20

Taurus

play

noun

Definition of Taurus for English Language Learners

: the second sign of the zodiac that comes between Aries and Gemini and has a bull as its symbol
: a person born under the sign of Taurus : a person born between April 20 and May 20

TAURUS Defined for Kids

Taurus

play

noun Tau·rus \ ˈtȯr-əs \

Definition of Taurus for Students

1 :a constellation between Aries and Gemini imagined as a bull

2 :the second sign of the zodiac or a person born under this sign

Learn More about taurus

See words that rhyme with Taurus Spanish Central: Translation of Taurus Nglish: Translation of Taurus for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Taurus

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up Taurus? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

anathematize

play

to curse or denounce

BROWSE DICTIONARY

tauromorphic

Taurotragus

Taurus

tauryl

tau-saghyz

Test Your Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Which of the following is a new sense of the word bunny?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

alt-59c52d6ee2f72

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

The word's origins are quite literal

alt-59c4207ecf106

Let's Talk 'Tea'

Spill it, sip it: just make it hot.

8 Words and Phrases from Boxing and Wrestling

Common terms that come from boxing and wrestling

alt-59c2960017c94

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

When you push a meeting, where does it go?

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066

Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz

stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz

Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz

SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game

Examples: Taurus in a Sentence