فهرست
Astrology
Title: Astrology
Pronunciation: uh-strol-uh-jee
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world.
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: uncountable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: əˈstrɒl ə dʒi
Synonym: horoscopy
Opposite: astronomy
Example
Many people read their horoscopes for entertainment, even though astrology is not considered a science
Atmosphere
Title: Atmosphere
Pronunciation: at-muhs-feer
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈæt məs fɪər
Synonym: air
Opposite: vacuum
The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet
The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun
Cosmic
Title: Cosmic
Pronunciation: koz-mik
Part of speech: adjective
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈkɒz mɪk
Synonym: universal
Opposite: earthly
Relating to the universe or cosmos, especially as distinct from the earth
The cosmic microwave background radiation is a remnant from the early universe
Aerospace
Title: Aerospace
Pronunciation: air-oh-space
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈɛr oʊ speɪs
Synonym: aeronautics
Opposite: terrestrial
The branch of technology and industry concerned with both aviation and space flight
The aerospace industry is constantly developing new technologies for aircraft and spacecraft
Full Moon
Title: Full Moon
Pronunciation: fool moon
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: informal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: fʊl mun
Synonym: fully illuminated moon
Opposite: new moon
The phase of the moon in which its whole disc is illuminated
The full moon is often associated with folklore and superstitions
Big Bang
Title: Big Bang
Pronunciation: big bang
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the rapid expansion of matter from a state of extremely high density and temperature that marked the origin of the universe
Formal or informal: informal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: bɪg bæŋ
Synonym: cosmic explosion
Opposite: steady state
Example
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model for the observable universe
Cosmos
Title: Cosmos
Pronunciation: koz-muhs
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈkɒz moʊs
Synonym: universe
Opposite: chaos
The universe seen as a well-ordered whole
The concept of the cosmos has been a subject of philosophical inquiry for centuries
Celestial Body
Title: Celestial Body
Pronunciation: suh-less-chuhl bah-dee
Part of speech :noun
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :səˈlɛs tʃəl ˈbɒdi
Synonym :heavenly body
Opposite :earthly body
A natural object in space, such as the sun, moon, a planet, or a star
The comet is a celestial body that orbits the sun
The Milky Way
Title: The Milky Way
Pronunciation :thuh milkee wey
Part of speech :noun
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :ði ˈmɪlki weɪ
Synonym :Galactic Center
Opposite :Andromeda Galaxy
The galaxy that contains our solar system
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with an estimated 100 to 400 billion stars
Constellation
Title: Constellation
Pronunciation :kon-stuh-lay-shuhn
Part of speech :noun
Definition :a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure.
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :ˌkɒn stəˈleɪ ʃən
Synonym :star pattern
Opposite :disarray
Example
The constellation Orion is one of the most recognizable star patterns in the night sky
Zodiac
Title: Zodiac
Pronunciation :zoh-dē–ak
Part of speech :noun
Definition :a belt of the heavens within about 8° either side of the ecliptic, including all apparent positions of the sun, moon, and most familiar planets. It is divided into twelve equal divisions or signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces).
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :’zōdēˌak
Synonym :horoscope
Example
The zodiac signs are often used for astrological readings
Comet
Title: Comet
Pronunciation :kom-it
Part of speech :noun
Definition :a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a “tail” of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :’kämit
Synonym :asteroid
Example
Comets are often described as “dirty snowballs” due to their composition
Dwarf
Title: Dwarf
Pronunciation :dwôrf
Part of speech :noun
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :’dwôrf
Synonym :midget star
Opposite :giant star
A star of relatively small size and low luminosity, including the majority of main sequence stars
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star located in the Alpha Centauri system
Exoplanet
Title: Exoplanet
Pronunciation :eksōplanet
Part of speech :noun
beyond our own.
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :’eksōplənət
Synonym :’extrasolar planet
A planet that orbits a star outside the solar system
The discovery of exoplanets has expanded our understanding of planetary systems beyond our own
Meteor
Title: Meteor
Pronunciation :’mēdēər
Part of speech :’noun
Definition :a small body of matter from outer space that enters the earth’s atmosphere, becoming incandescent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light.
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :’intransitive
Stress marks :ˈmēdēər
Synonym :’shooting star
Example
Meteors are often called “shooting stars” due to their appearance as they streak across the night sky
Meteorite
Title: Meteorite
Pronunciation: ˈmiːtiəraɪt
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈmiːtiəraɪt
Synonym: space rock
A meteor that survives its passage through the earth’s atmosphere and lands on the earth’s surface
Scientists study meteorites to learn more about the composition of celestial bodies
Nebula
Title: Nebula
Pronunciation: ˈnɛbjʊlə
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky either as an indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette against other luminous matter.
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈnɛbjʊlə
Synonym: cloud
Opposite: clear sky
Example
The Orion Nebula is one of the most photographed and studied objects in the night sky
Supernova
Title: Supernova
Pronunciation: ˌsuːpərˈnoʊvə
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a star that suddenly increases greatly in brightness because of a catastrophic explosion that ejects most of its mass.
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˌsuːpərˈnoʊvə
Synonym: stellar explosion
Opposite: stable star
Example
The explosion of a supernova can outshine an entire galaxy for a brief period of time
Mission
Title: Mission
Pronunciation: ˈmɪʃən
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an important assignment carried out for political, religious, or commercial purposes, typically involving travel
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈmɪʃən
Synonym: assignment
Opposite: leisure
Example
The space mission aimed to explore the possibility of human colonization on Mars
Cosmonaut
Title: Cosmonaut
Pronunciation: ˈkɒzmənɔt
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈkɒzmənɔt
Synonym: astronaut (Russian)
A Russian astronaut
Yuri Gagarin was the first cosmonaut to travel into space
Axis
Title: Axis
Pronunciation: ˈæksɪs
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: ˈæksɪs
Synonym: center line
Opposite: periphery
An imaginary line about which a body rotates.
The Earth’s axis is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees from its orbital plane
Rotation
Title: Rotation
Pronunciation: roʊˈteɪʃən
Part of speech: noun
Formal or informal: formal
Countable or uncountable: countable
Transitive or intransitive: intransitive
Stress marks: roʊˈteɪʃən
Synonym: spinning
Opposite: stillness
The action of rotating around an axis or center
The rotation of the Earth causes day and night cycles
Space Shuttle
Title: Space Shuttle
Pronunciation: speɪs ˈʃʌtəl
Part of speech :noun
Definition :a spacecraft that can carry astronauts to and from an orbiting satellite, space station, or another planet
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :speɪs ˈʃʌtəl
Synonym :spacecraft
Example
The Space Shuttle program was retired after thirty years of service
UFO
Title: UFO
Pronunciation :yuw ef oh
Part of speech :noun
Definition :an unidentified flying object; a flying object that cannot be identified, often believed to be an alien spacecraft
Formal or informal :informal
Countable or uncountable :countable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :’yuw ‘ef ‘oh
Synonym :’unidentified flying object
Opposite :’identified flying object
Example
Many UFO sightings turn out to have rational explanations upon investigation
Weightless
Title: Weightless
Pronunciation :wayt-lis
Part of speech :adjective
Formal or informal :formal
Countable or uncountable :uncountable
Transitive or intransitive :intransitive
Stress marks :’wayt-lis
Synonym :’zero gravity
Opposite :’heavy
Having little or no weight; lacking apparent gravitational pull
Astronauts experience weightless conditions while orbiting the Earth
