Galaxy
A vast system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter, all bound together by gravity.
While 'galaxy' most commonly refers to large systems like our Milky Way, it can also be used more broadly to describe any large, impressive collection of things, as in 'a galaxy of talent'.
Word relationships
- Star system: A star system is typically smaller, often referring to a star and its orbiting planets, whereas a galaxy is a vast collection of billions of stars.
Commonly confused with
- Universe: The universe encompasses all of space and time, containing countless galaxies. A galaxy is a single, large structure within the universe.
- Solar System: A solar system consists of a star and the objects orbiting it (like planets). A galaxy contains billions of solar systems.
Word family
- galactic (adjective): Relating to a galaxy or galaxies.
Collocations
- spiral galaxy
- elliptical galaxy
- irregular galaxy
- distant galaxy
- host galaxy
Idioms & expressions
- a galaxy of stars/talent
Example sentences
- "Our solar system resides within the Milky Way Galaxy, a spiral-shaped collection of billions of stars." Describing a cosmic structure.
- "The film festival attracted a whole galaxy of stars, from seasoned veterans to rising newcomers." Referring to a large collection.
Memory hook
Think of a 'GAL' (girl) who sees a 'MILKY' way. The Milky Way is our Galaxy. Milky Way
When not to use
Do not confuse 'galaxy' with 'solar system' (which is a small part of a galaxy) or 'universe' (which contains many galaxies). Avoid using it metaphorically if a simpler word like 'collection' or 'group' suffices.
Fun facts
- There are estimated to be hundreds of billions of galaxies in the observable universe.
- The Andromeda Galaxy is our closest large galactic neighbor and is on a collision course with the Milky Way, though the collision won't happen for billions of years.
Related words
Also appears in
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