astronomical

adjective

as·​tro·​nom·​i·​cal ˌa-strə-ˈnä-mi-kəl 

variants or less commonly astronomic

ˌa-strə-ˈnä-mik 

1

: of or relating to astronomy

astronomical observations

2

: enormously or inconceivably large or great

astronomical numbers

an astronomical price

astronomically

ˌa-strə-ˈnä-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• Brobdingnagian
• bumper
• colossal
• cosmic
• cosmical
• cyclopean
• elephantine
• enormous
• galactic
• gargantuan
• giant
• gigantesque
• gigantic
• grand
• herculean
• heroic
• heroical
• Himalayan
• huge
• humongous
• humungous
• immense
• jumbo
• king-size
• king-sized
• leviathan
• mammoth
• massive
• mega
• mighty
• monster
• monstrous
• monumental
• mountainous
• oceanic
• pharaonic
• planetary
• prodigious
• super
• super-duper
• supersize
• supersized
• titanic
• tremendous
• vast
• vasty
• walloping
• whacking
• whopping

Examples of astronomical in a Sentence

The cost of the office building was astronomical.

We got an astronomical telephone bill this month.

Recent Examples on the Web

To cast horoscopes—essentially maps of the planets and stars as seen from a particular place and time on Earth—astrologers need access to accurate astronomical observations. —Michelle Aroney and David Zeitlyn, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

America was hit with astronomical inflation — up to 14% — that made what the country has gone through over the last two years seem like an economic boom. —George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024

Here are the astronomical patterns that bring about a Black Moon: Two new moons occur in one month, the second being a monthly Black Moon. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 31 Dec. 2024

At sunrise this morning, about 15,000 people gathered at Stonehenge — the world’s most famous neolithic monument — to mark the arrival of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin astronomicus "of or relating to astronomy" (borrowed from Greek astronomikós "of astronomy, skilled in astronomy," from astronomía astronomy + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing astronomical

• astronomical unit

Kids Definition

astronomical

adjective

as·​tro·​nom·​i·​cal ˌas-trə-ˈnäm-i-kəl 

variants also astronomic

-ˈnäm-ik 

1

: of or relating to astronomy

2

: extremely or unbelievably large

the cost was astronomical

astronomically

-ˈnäm-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb