Milky Way

noun

1
: a broad luminous irregular band of light that stretches completely around the celestial sphere and is caused by the light of myriads of faint stars
2

Examples of Milky Way in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For example, the 8K Milky Way stitching feature automatically generates mosaics far wider than a single frame. New Atlas, 29 Jan. 2026 The company’s gray salt caramels (dipped in dark chocolate) and smoked salt caramels (wrapped in milk chocolate) are like a better Milky Way, as one of my colleagues put it (without the nougat, though). Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2026 The ApJ study examined the spectra, or light signatures, of half a dozen stars in Sextans A, which is near our home Milky Way galaxy. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 14 Jan. 2026 Such galaxies are small when compared to our Milky Way, which contains hundreds of billions of stars. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026 Beloved candy brand Milky Way is giving chocolate fans something to look forward to in the new year. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025 Now, the ancient space object is due to approach Earth – offering the world's scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study a comet that formed in an entirely different part of our Milky Way. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025 The upcoming release, Milky Way All Caramel, hits stores nationally beginning in January 2026. Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025 Many, perhaps most, astronomers thought these were in fact nebulas in the classic sense, clouds of gas inside our Milky Way. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Milky Way was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Milky Way.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Milky%20Way. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

Milky Way

noun
1
: a broad band of light that stretches across the sky and is caused by the light of a very great number of faint stars
2
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