cluster

1 of 2

noun

clus·​ter ˈklə-stər How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: a number of similar things that occur together: such as
a
: two or more consecutive consonants or vowels in a segment of speech
b
: a group of buildings and especially houses built close together on a sizable tract in order to preserve open spaces larger than the individual yard for common recreation
c
: an aggregation of stars or galaxies that appear close together in the sky and are gravitationally associated
the Perseus cluster of galaxies
d
: a larger than expected number of cases of disease (such as leukemia) occurring in a particular locality, group of people, or period of time
e
: a number of computers networked together in order to function as a single computing system
Consisting of groups of inexpensive machines cobbled together, clusters in many ways have supplanted traditional supercomputers.Elizabeth K. Wilson
clustery adjective

cluster

2 of 2

verb

clustered; clustering ˈklə-st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce cluster (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to collect into a cluster
cluster the tents together
2
: to furnish with clusters
the bridge was clustered with men and officersHerman Wouk

intransitive verb

: to grow, assemble, or occur in a cluster
they clustered around the fire

Examples of cluster in a Sentence

Noun a cluster of cottages along the shore A small cluster of people had gathered at the scene of the accident. Verb The children clustered around the storyteller. the mice clustered together into a small burrow
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Raytheon just agreed last week to pay a mind-boggling $950 million in criminal and civil charges to the U.S. government for a cluster of offenses ranging from inflated prices for missiles, to bribes for sales to Qatar. Charles Tiefer, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 The house was found in Pompeii’s Insula dei Casti Amanti site, a cluster of buildings that opened to the public this year. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
Today, Angoon remains a quaint village of about 420 people, with colorful old homes and totem poles clustered on the west side of Admiralty Island, accessible by ferry or float plane, in the Tongass National Forest, the nation's largest. CBS News, 26 Oct. 2024 Judo; diving; rhythmic, artistic and trampoline gymnastics; fencing; and table tennis are among a dozen that will be clustered in or near downtown Los Angeles, the most transit rich-pocket in Southern California, with multiple rail and bus lines converging. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cluster 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cluster.' 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

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English clyster; akin to Old English clott clot

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cluster was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cluster

Cite this Entry

“Cluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cluster. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cluster

1 of 2 noun
clus·​ter ˈkləs-tər How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: a number of similar things growing, collected, or grouped together : bunch
a cluster of houses
a flower cluster

cluster

2 of 2 verb
clustered; clustering -t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: to grow, collect, or gather in a cluster

Medical Definition

cluster

noun
clus·​ter ˈkləs-tər How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: a larger than expected number of cases of disease (as leukemia) occurring in a particular locality, group of people, or period of time

More from Merriam-Webster on cluster

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