Galaxy

See also: galaxy

English

Proper noun

the Galaxy

1. (astronomy, dated, now proscribed) The Milky Way Galaxy.
   • 1380, Geoffrey Chaucer, The House of Fame:

     See yonder, lo, the Galaxyë / Which men clepeth the Milky Wey, / For hit is whyt.

   • 1633, John Donne, Sapho to Philænis:

     So may thy cheekes red outweare scarlet dye, / And their white, whitenesse of the Galaxie […]

Usage notes

• Used before the nature of other visible galaxies was understood and that the Milky Way was the same type of object. Rarely used now that the Milky Way is known not to be the only galaxy.

Synonyms

• Milky Way Galaxy
• Milky Way
• Local Galaxy