English Explanatory Dictionary

vela

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. plural of velum
name
  1. A spring constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble the sails of a ship. Until 1763, it was part of a larger constellation, Argo Navis.

Pronunciation

/ˈviːlə/ /ˈvilə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Persent101-vela.wav

Word forms

vela

Etymology

Named by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1763. From Latin vēla (“sails of a ship”), plural of vēlum. Doublet of veil.

Related words

Argo Argo Navis Carina Puppis Pyxis

Derived words

Velorum
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