Canis Major
noun
Ca·nis Ma·jor
ˌkā-nəs-ˈmā-jər 
ˌka-
: a constellation to the southeast of Orion containing Sirius
Examples of Canis Major in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Canis Minor and Canis Major represent Orion’s two hunting dogs, which trail him across winter skies.
—
Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
There’s the great Orion himself, surrounded by his cast of characters like Taurus the Bull, Auriga the chariot driver, Gemini the Twins, Lepus the Killer Rabbit, Canis Minor the Little Dog, and Canis Major, the Big Dog.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2024
Close to the horizon is the brightest star in the sky: Sirius, the nose of the Big Dog in Canis Major.
—Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2022
Go outside about two hours after sunset and look southeast to find bright Sirius (in Canis Major), low on the horizon.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022
Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog.
—Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 26 Sep. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
There’s the great Orion himself, surrounded by his cast of characters like Taurus the Bull, Auriga the chariot driver, Gemini the Twins, Lepus the Killer Rabbit, Canis Minor the Little Dog, and Canis Major, the Big Dog.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2024
Close to the horizon is the brightest star in the sky: Sirius, the nose of the Big Dog in Canis Major.
—Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2022
Go outside about two hours after sunset and look southeast to find bright Sirius (in Canis Major), low on the horizon.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022
Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog.
—Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, 26 Sep. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near Canis Major
Cite this Entry
“Canis Major.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Canis%20Major. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share