Cetus

noun

Ce·​tus ˈsē-təs How to pronounce Cetus (audio)
: an equatorial constellation south of Pisces and Aries

Examples of Cetus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The left corner of the square, meanwhile, is the head of Andromeda, who, according to legend, Perseus was saving from the leviathan Cetus (also called the Whale). — Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Squid in the Whale Spiral galaxy Messier 77, also called the Squid Galaxy, sits 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus (The Whale). — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Apr. 2025 Jacob Turcotte/Staff Today, volunteer wardens with the Cetus Research & Conservation Society Straitwatch program monitor the reserve and gather population data on the whales and their pods. — Jules Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Dec. 2024 The stars shown in the sky chart belong to faint constellations including Cetus, Aries, Triangulum and Pisces. — Rod Nerdahl, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for Cetus

Word History

Etymology

Latin (genitive Ceti), literally, whale

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cetus was in 1675

Rhymes for Cetus

See All Rhymes for Cetus

Browse Nearby Words

cetraric acid
Cetus
cetyl alcohol
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cetus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cetus. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Cetus

noun
Ce·​tus ˈsēt-əs How to pronounce Cetus (audio)
: a group of stars seen above the equator and south of Pisces and Aries
Etymology

Latin, literally, "whale"

More from Merriam-Webster on Cetus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Cetus

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All