astronomer

noun

as·​tron·​o·​mer ə-ˈsträ-nə-mər 

: a person who is skilled in astronomy or who makes observations of celestial phenomena

Examples of astronomer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This approach allowed the astronomers to identify 40 stars located well outside the cluster’s main body, between 7 and 30 arcminutes from its center, that share the same chemical and motion signatures as NGC 6569. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026

Most astronomers believe its diameter fluctuates from about 400 million miles to over 800 million miles. —Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026

The shower gets its name from a constellation created by French astronomer Jerome Lalande in 1795, known as Quadrans Muralis, which occupies this space near the Big Dipper, according to NASA. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Jan. 2026

In 1992 that changed, when astronomers spotted two planets orbiting a pulsar 2,300 light years from Earth. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "one versed in astronomy or astrology," from astronomie astronomy + -er -er entry 2

Note: Alternatively, Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, and Middle English Dictionary see the English word as derived from Medieval and Late Latin astronomus "astronomer" (borrowed from Greek astronómos) plus the agent suffix -er.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for astronomer

• ionomer
• monomer