Definition

Proper noun 1. The brightest star in the night sky; Sirius: "Sothis" is the ancient Greek name for the star Sirius, located in the constellation Canis Major. It is also known as the "Dog Star."

Usage Notes

• "Sothis" is a historical and astronomical term. In modern contexts, the star is almost exclusively called Sirius.
• It is typically used with the definite article "the" when referring to it as a celestial object (e.g., "the star Sothis").
• It is often capitalized as it is a proper name.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The ancient Egyptians based their calendar on the heliacal rising of Sothis.
  • In Greek texts, Sothis is identified with the star we call Sirius.

Advanced Usage

• "The Star of Sothis": A poetic or historical phrasing.
  • The festival was timed with the reappearance of the Star of Sothis.

Variants and Related Words

• Sirius (n): The modern and most common name for the same star.
• Dog Star (n): A colloquial name for Sirius/Sothis, derived from its constellation, Canis Major (the Greater Dog).
• Canis Major (n): The constellation in which Sothis/Sirius is the primary star.

Synonyms

• Sirius
• Alpha Canis Majoris (its formal astronomical designation)
• The Dog Star

Related Phrases

• Heliacal rising of Sothis: The first appearance of the star just before sunrise after a period of invisibility, a significant event in ancient calendars.
  • The Egyptian new year was marked by the heliacal rising of Sothis.

Noun

1. the brightest star in the sky; in Canis Major