LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

astrum

astrum n (genitive astrī)
Classical[ˈas.trũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈas.trum]
№ 685 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. neuterpoeticstar, constellation
    astrīs delphīna recēpit IuppiterJupiter admitted the dolphin to the constellations8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 2.117–118

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

stēlla magna; sōl et lūna astra sunt.
astrum -ī n — in Mille Verba, Caelum et Tempestātēs

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Stella · Astrum · Sidus

Stella (dimin. of ἀστήρ) means any one of the innumerable individual stars, like ἀστήρ; astrum (ἄστρον), any one of the greater bright heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and principal stars, with their peculiar names, like ἄστρον; sidus (εἶδος), a complication of stars, a constellation, and, by affinity of the notion with number and magnitude, a great star, like τέρας, τείρεα. Astrum and stella denote the stars more in a mere physical relation, as bright heavenly bodies; sidus, more in an astronomical and astrological relation, as portentous and influencing human affairs. Sen. Helv. 9. Dum ortus siderum, occasus intervallaque, et causas investigare velocius meandi vel tardius spectare tot per noctem stellas micantes liceat. (iv. 409.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeastrumastra
genitiveastrīastrōrum
dativeastrōastrīs
accusativeastrumastra
ablativeastrōastrīs
vocativeastrumastra

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

caelum astris distinctum et ornatum
the star-lit sky; the firmament.

astrum, i, n. perh. ἄστρον borrowed; cf. ἀστήρ; Sanscr. staras (plur.); Engl. star; Germ. Stern; Goth. stairno; and stella; Kuhn compares: Sanscr. star, Lat. sterno, Gr. στρώννυμι, Engl. strew, the stars being so called as strewn over the vault of heaven, as in Hor. S. 1, 5, 10,
I. a star, a constellation (poet. or in more elevated prose).
I. Lit., Verg. E. 9, 47; id. A. 4, 352; 5, 838; 8, 590; Ov. M. 1, 73; 11, 309; Hor. C. 3, 21, 24; 3, 27, 31; id. Epod. 16, 61; id. Ep. 2, 2, 187; Prop. 2, 32, 50; 3, 16, 15; Mart. 8, 21 al.; Cic. Rep. 6, 22, 24; id. N. D. 2, 46, 118; id. Tusc. 1, 25, 62; id. Tim. 12.—In Vulg. only plur.: astra caeli, Deut. 4, 10; 10, 22; 28, 62: donec egrediantur astra, 2 Esdr. 4, 21: astra matutina, Job, 38, 7.—
II. Trop.
A. For height: turris educta sub astra, Verg. A. 2, 460: Ter spumam elisam et rorantia vidimus astra, id. ib. 3, 567: Mons ibi verticibus petit arduus astra duobus, Ov. M. 1, 316: super astra Dei exaltabo solium meum, Vulg. Isa. 14, 13 al.—
B. Heaven, and the immortality of the glory connected with it: sic itur ad astra, Verg. A. 9, 641: aliquem inferre astris, Ov. M. 9, 272; 15, 846: Daphnimque tuum tollemus ad astra; Daphnim ad astra feremus, Verg. E. 5, 52: educere in astra, Hor. C. 4, 2, 23: absentem rusticus urbem Tollit ad astra, praises to the skies, id. S. 2, 7, 29 al.: Hortalus nostras laudes in astra sustulit, extolled to the skies, Cic. Att. 2, 25, 1 (cf. the opp.: decidere ex astris, i. e. summam gloriam perdere, id. ib. 2, 21, 4).

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eHs-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂stḗr
  3. Proto-Hellenic*astḗr
  4. Ancient Greek ἀστήρ(astḗr)
  5. Latinastrum

Ancient Greek ἄστρον (ástron)bor. Latin astrum Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄστρον (ástron, “star”).

Descendants
  • Catalanastre
  • Englishdisaster
  • Frenchastre
  • Italianastro
  • Occitanastre
  • Portugueseastro
  • Romanianastru
  • Spanishastro

Quick answers

What does astrum mean in Latin?
astrum, a noun, means “star, constellation”.
What is the genitive of astrum?
The genitive singular is astrī. astrum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce astrum?
In classical Latin, [ˈas.trũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈas.trum].
Where does astrum come from?
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eHs- → Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr → Proto-Hellenic *astḗr → Ancient Greek ἀστήρ (astḗr) → Latin astrum.