Meaning & use
astronomer
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Meaning
nouncountable
A scientist who studies stars, planets, and other objects and events beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Grammar: Countable noun: an astronomer, the astronomer, astronomers.
Patterns
- work as an astronomer
- a professional astronomer
The astronomer used a powerful telescope to observe distant galaxies.
She became an astronomer after studying physics at university.
Astronomers have discovered a new planet outside our solar system.
Word forms
| plural | astronomers |
|---|
Common combinations
- amateur astronomer
- Many amateur astronomers enjoy watching meteor showers.
- professional astronomer
- As a professional astronomer, he spends nights at the observatory.
- astronomer Royal
- The Astronomer Royal is a senior position in British astronomy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stargazer
- A casual word for anyone who enjoys looking at stars; astronomer is a professional scientist.
- astrophysicist
- A scientist who studies the physics of stars and space; astronomer is broader and includes observation.
Word family
- astronomy noun
- The scientific study of stars, planets, and space.
- astronomical adjective
- Relating to astronomy; also used informally to mean extremely large.
- astronomically adverb
- In a way that relates to astronomy; or informally, by a very large amount.
Commonly confused: astronomer or astrologer?
astronomer vs astrologer
An astrologer studies how stars and planets supposedly influence people's lives; an astronomer studies space scientifically. They are very different fields.
Practice
The _____ studied the movement of the planets using a telescope.
Choose one answer.
An astronomer is a scientist who studies planets and stars, which matches the context of studying planetary movement. An astrologer deals with horoscopes, an astronaut travels in space, and an archaeologist studies ancient objects.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “astronomer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.