Vulpecula

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Vul·​pec·​u·​la

ˌvəl-ˈpe-kyə-lə

taxonomic synonym of alopias

Vulpecula

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noun

Vul·​pec·​u·​la ˌvəl-ˈpe-kyə-lə 

astronomy

: a dim northern constellation that is visible between the constellations of Cygnus and Sagitta and that is represented by the figure of a fox

Lying 16,000 light-years distant in the constellation Vulpecula astride the summer Milky Way, this object is better known as the "millisecond pulsar." It is the most rapidly rotating stellar body in the known universe and is possibly the most accurate clock as well.

—David H. Smith, Sky & Telescope, October 1983

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, small fox, a small shark, diminutive of vulpes fox, a shark

First Known Use

Noun

1781, in the meaning defined above

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