Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

It's plain that constellate is related to constellation, and, indeed, things that "constellate" (or "are constellated") cluster together like stars in a constellation. Both words derive ultimately from the Latin word for "star," which is stella. Constellation (which came to us by way of Middle French from Late Latin constellation-, constellatio) entered the language first-it dates to at least the 14th century. Constellate didn't appear until a full 300 years later.

2 : to set or adorn with or as if with constellations

Examples

"The members of the family seemed destined to constellate around a table, held by the gravity of our affection for each other." - Elsa M. Bowman, Christian Science Monitor, July 11, 1996

"The band is currently a three-piece, led by guitar-wielding singer Brett Kerr, 24, of North Muskegon. The group originally constellated around his songwriting in 2009." - Lou Jeannot, Muskegon (Michigan) Chronicle, July 1, 2010