Elnath

noun

El·​nath ˈel-ˌnath 

variants or less commonly El Nath

ˈel-ˈnath 

or Alnath

ˈal-ˌnath 

astronomy

: a blue-white star of the second magnitude that is the second brightest star in the constellation Taurus

There's a medium-bright reddish star on the lower rung of the arrow called Aldebaran, which is supposed to be the ruddy eye of the bull. You can extend the rungs of the arrow to the far left to reach the end of the beast's horns. One of the horns ends up at Elnath, technically part of Taurus but also one of the stars in the lopsided pentagon that makes up Auriga, the charioteer.

—Mike Lynch, Saint Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press, 18 Dec. 2003

called also Beta Tauri

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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