constellation
noun
con·stel·la·tion
ˌkän(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən 
1
: the configuration of stars especially at one's birth
2
: any of 88 arbitrary configurations of stars or an area of the celestial sphere covering one of these configurations
the constellation Orion
3
: an assemblage, collection, or group of usually related persons, qualities, or things
… a constellation of … relatives, friends, and hangers-on …—
Brendan Gill
Brendan Gilla constellation of symptoms
4
: pattern, arrangement
… taking advantage of the shifting constellation of power throughout the known world.—H. D. Lasswell
H. D. LasswellExamples of constellation in a Sentence
The constellation Ursa Major contains the stars of the Big Dipper.
A large constellation of relatives and friends attended the funeral.
The patient presented a constellation of symptoms.
Recent Examples on the Web
The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival launched Saturday at the city’s Grand Theatre, drawing a constellation of Chinese-language stars to its opening red carpet and centering its ceremony on cinema’s human core rather than the geopolitical flash that has marked other festivals this year.
—Marcus Lim, Variety, 13 June 2026
Since then, the constellation has grown into the largest satellite network ever deployed.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
The photos used to create the collage were taken with a Nikon Z6II camera paired with a Sigma 50 mm lens in the hours following sunset from May 11 through to June 9, as Jupiter and Venus shone close to one another in the constellation Gemini.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 June 2026
The boldest bet is CEO Elon Musk’s proposal for a system of orbital data centers, including a constellation of up to one million satellites that would run AI workloads on solar power gathered in orbit.
—Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for constellation
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.
Marcus Lim, Variety, 13 June 2026
Since then, the constellation has grown into the largest satellite network ever deployed.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
The photos used to create the collage were taken with a Nikon Z6II camera paired with a Sigma 50 mm lens in the hours following sunset from May 11 through to June 9, as Jupiter and Venus shone close to one another in the constellation Gemini.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 June 2026
The boldest bet is CEO Elon Musk’s proposal for a system of orbital data centers, including a constellation of up to one million satellites that would run AI workloads on solar power gathered in orbit.
—Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for constellation
Cite this Entry
“Constellation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constellation. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
constellation
noun
con·stel·la·tion
ˌkän(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən
: any of 88 groups of stars forming patterns
Etymology
Middle English constellacioun "the position of the stars in the sky at the time of a person's birth," from early French constellation (same meaning), from Latin con-, com- "with" and stella "star"
Medical Definition
constellation
noun
con·stel·la·tion
ˌkän(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən
: a set of ideas, conditions, symptoms, or traits that fall into or appear to fall into a pattern: as
a
: a group of stimulus conditions or factors affecting personality and behavior development
the way in which family constellation and handling of punishment influenced this particular boy—S. B. Sarason
S. B. Sarason
b
: a group of behavioral or personality traits
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
