ALPHA CENTAURI

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Alpha Centauri mean? 

• ALPHA CENTAURI (noun)
  The noun ALPHA CENTAURI has 1 sense:

1. brightest star in Centaurus; second nearest star to the sun

  Familiarity information: ALPHA CENTAURI used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALPHA CENTAURI (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Brightest star in Centaurus; second nearest star to the sun

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

Alpha Centauri; Rigil; Rigil Kent

Instance hypernyms:

binary; binary star; double star (a system of two stars that revolve around each other under their mutual gravitation)

Holonyms ("Alpha Centauri" is a member of...):

Centaur; Centaurus (a conspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere near the Southern Cross)

 Context examples 

The new planet circles Proxima Centauri, the smallest member of a triple star system known to science fiction fans everywhere as Alpha Centauri.

(ESO Discovers Earth-Size Planet in Habitable Zone of Nearest Star, NASA)

The closest system to Earth, a trio of stars, is Alpha Centauri, that consists of Alpha Centauri, a close companion to it and the more distant companion Proxima Centauri, at about 4 light-years away.

(A cold, close neighbor of the Sun, NASA)