centaur

cen·taur

C0196600 (sĕn′tôr′)n.1. Greek Mythology One of a race of monsters having the head, arms, and trunk of a man and the body and legs of a horse.2. Astronomy Any of a group of icy asteroids that orbit the sun primarily in the region between Jupiter and Neptune, whose orbits they cross. Some centaurs appear to be more like comets than asteroids.

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[Middle English, from Latin Centaurus, from Greek Kentauros. Sense 2, from the official convention of naming such objects after the centaurs of Greek mythology, a practice derived from the fact that the first such object to be observed was named after Chiron.]

centaur

(ˈsɛntɔː) n (Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth one of a race of creatures with the head, arms, and torso of a man, and the lower body and legs of a horse. Also called: hippocentaur [C14: from Latin, from Greek kentauros, of unknown origin]

cen•taur

(ˈsɛn tɔr)

n. 1. any of a race of creatures in Greek myth having the head, upper torso, and arms of a man, and the body and legs of a horse. 2. (cap.) Centaurus. [1325–75; < Latin centaurus < Greek kéntauros] cen•tau′ri•al, cen•tau′ri•an, cen•tau′ric, adj.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	centaur - (classical mythology) a mythical being that is half man and half horseclassical mythology - the system of mythology of the Greeks and Romans together; much of Roman mythology (especially the gods) was borrowed from the Greeksmythical creature, mythical monster - a monster renowned in folklore and mythChiron - (Greek mythology) the learned centaur who tutored Achilles, Asclepius, Hercules, Jason, and other heroes
	2.	Centaur - a conspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere near the Southern CrossCentaurusAlpha Centauri, Rigil, Rigil Kent - brightest star in Centaurus; second nearest star to the sunBeta Centauri - the second brightest star in CentaurusOmega Centauri - a global cluster in the constellation CentaurusProxima, Proxima Centauri - the nearest star to the sun; distance: 4.3 light years

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