neb·u·la
 nebula
|
|
- pronunciation:
- neb
y
l
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| inflections: |
nebulae, nebulas |
| definition: |
a cloud of dust or gas found between the stars. A nebula may seem either bright or dark, depending on how it reacts with light.
On a clear winter night, you can see a bright nebula in the constellation Orion.
|
| related words: |
cloud |
|
|
| derivation: |
nebular (adj.) |
Nebula is a Latin word that means "cloud or mist." It entered the English language in the 1500s as a term for the clouding of the eye we now call a "cataract." In the 1700s, "nebula" became a term in astronomy.