Pleiades
/ˈpliː.ə.diːz/noun
A cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus, traditionally known as the Seven Sisters.
Did you know?The name is usually traced to Greek *Pleiades*, linked to *plein* (“to sail”), because their heliacal rising helped sailors know when to navigate.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Πλειάδες (Pleiádes)
“The Pleiades; a cluster of stars in the night sky”
Classical Greek
Greek
πλεῖν (pleîn)
“to sail”
Latin
Latin
Pleiades
“The Pleiades; borrowed astronomical name”
Old English
English
Pleiades
“The star cluster, used in learned astronomical writing”
Modern English
English
Pleiades
“A prominent open star cluster in Taurus”
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