clusters
|clus-ters|
🇺🇸
/ˈklʌstər/
🇬🇧
/ˈklʌstə/
(cluster)
group or bunch
Etymology
'cluster' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'clusteren' (or 'cluster'), likely influenced by a Scandinavian source meaning 'a ball, bunch'.
'cluster' changed from Middle English 'clusteren' (a verb and noun meaning a bunch or cluster) and eventually became the modern English word 'cluster'.
Initially, it meant 'a bunch, lump, or compact group'; over time it evolved into the broader modern meaning of 'a group of things or people close together' and specialized senses (e.g., consonant cluster).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a number of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together; a group or bunch.
Clusters of stars lit up the night sky.
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Noun 2
a small community or grouping of houses, businesses, or facilities located near each other.
There are several clusters of cottages along the coast.
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Noun 3
in linguistics and phonetics, a group of adjacent consonants without intervening vowels (a consonant cluster).
English often allows consonant clusters at the start of syllables, as in 'spl-'; such clusters can be challenging for learners.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to form a cluster; to gather closely together.
People clusters around the stage to watch the performance.
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Last updated: 2025/12/03 04:43