Capella

noun

Ca·​pel·​la kə-ˈpe-lə How to pronounce Capella (audio)
: a star of the first magnitude in Auriga

Word History

Etymology

Latin, literally, she-goat, from caper he-goat — more at capriole

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Capella was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near Capella

Cite this Entry

“Capella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Capella. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Capella

noun
Ca·​pel·​la kə-ˈpel-ə How to pronounce Capella (audio)
: a very bright star in Auriga

More from Merriam-Webster on Capella

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!