Arcturus
/ɑːrkˈtjʊə.rəs/noun
The brightest star in the constellation Boötes and one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
Did you know?Arcturus comes from Greek mythology and astronomy: it’s the star that seems to follow Ursa Major across the sky, so its name literally marks it as the bear’s watcher.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros)
“the Bear-guardian; the star near the Bear”
Late Latin
Latin
Arcturus
“the star Arcturus”
Old French
Old French
Arcturus
“the star Arcturus”
Middle English
English
Arcturus
“the bright star Arcturus”
Modern English
English
Arcturus
“the brightest star in Boötes”