Library / English Dictionary

PTOLEMY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An ancient dynasty of Macedonian kings who ruled Egypt from 323 BC to 30 BC; founded by Ptolemy I and ended with Cleopatra

Synonyms:

Ptolemaic dynasty; Ptolemy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("Ptolemy" is a kind of...):

dynasty (a sequence of powerful leaders in the same family)

Meronyms (members of "Ptolemy"):

Ptolemy I (the king of Egypt who founded the Macedonian dynasty in Egypt; a close friend and general of Alexander the Great who took charge of Egypt after Alexander died (circa 367-285 BC))

Ptolemy II (son of Ptolemy I and king of Egypt who was said to be responsible for the Septuagint (circa 309-247 BC))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Alexandrian astronomer (of the 2nd century) who proposed a geocentric system of astronomy that was undisputed until the late Renaissance

Synonyms:

Claudius Ptolemaeus; Ptolemy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Instance hypernyms:

astronomer; stargazer; uranologist (a physicist who studies astronomy)

Derivation:

Ptolemaic (of or relating to the astronomer Ptolemy)

Credits