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Definition of 'astrolabe'

Word Frequency

astrolabe in British

(ˈæstrəˌleɪb )
noun
an instrument used by early astronomers to measure the altitude of stars and planets and also as a navigational aid. It consists of a graduated circular disc with a movable sighting device
Compare sextant
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'astrolabe'
C13: via Old French and Medieval Latin from Greek, from astrolabos (adj), literally: star-taking, from astron star + lambanein to take

Image of 'astrolabe'

picture of astrolabe
© S. Bonaime, shutterstock
Word Frequency

astrolabe in American

(ˈæstroʊˌleɪb ; asˈtrōlābˌ; ˈæstrəˌleɪb ; asˈtrəlābˌ)
noun
an instrument formerly used to find the altitude of a star, etc.: it was replaced by the sextant
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'astrolabe'
ME astrelabie < OFr astrelabe < ML astrolabium < Gr astrolabon < astron, star + lambanein, to take: see latch

Trends of 'astrolabe'

Used Rarely. astrolabe is in the lower 50% of commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

Nearby words of 'astrolabe'

  • astrohatch
  • astroid
  • astrol.
  • astrolabe
  • astrolatry
  • astrologer
  • astrologic

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'A'

Source

Definition of astrolabe from the Collins English Dictionary

The past perfect continuous tense

Typical forms of this tense are as shown in: I had been waiting. I ’d been waiting . She had been waiting . She ’d been waiting. Had I been talking nonsense ? What had I said? Had he bee...
Read more about 'The past perfect continuous tense'
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Scrabble score for 'astrolabe': 11
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