astraea
|a-stra-ea|
/əˈstreɪə/
star-maiden; justice
Etymology
'Astraea' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the name 'Astraia' (Αστραία), where the element 'astr-' (from 'astron') meant 'star'.
'Astraea' passed into Latin as 'Astraea' and was used in classical and medieval literature; it entered Modern English largely unchanged as the proper name 'Astraea' used for the mythic figure and later for scientific names and the asteroid.
Initially it meant 'star-maiden' or 'starry one' (a celestial maiden); over time it became associated chiefly with the goddess of justice and later was applied as a proper name for an asteroid and for taxonomic genera.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in Greek mythology, Astraea is the virgin goddess of justice, innocence and purity, often associated with the stars and identified with the constellation Virgo.
Astraea is often invoked in poetry as a symbol of justice returning to the world.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
an asteroid (5 Astraea) in the main asteroid belt, discovered in 1845.
Astronomers tracked Astraea as one of the early-discovered main-belt asteroids.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a taxonomic genus name used in zoology/botany (historically applied to certain sea snails and other organisms); used as a scientific genus name in biological classification.
Specimens attributed to the genus Astraea have been collected from tropical rocky shores.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/07 04:08