How to Use Canis Major in a Sentence

Canis Major

noun
  • Orion’s big dog, Canis Major, is easy to find.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Both stars are a part of Canis Major, the Big Dog.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • At the other end of Canis Major is Aludra, the star at the end of the big dog’s tail.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • At either end of Canis Major are noteworthy stars.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • As late as the 9th century, Canis Major was pictured as a fierce, vicious hunting dog.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Look low in the southeast to spot the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, the alpha star of Canis Major, the Big Dog.
    — Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 18 Jan. 2026
  • The primary galaxy imaged is found in the constellation Canis Major, which contains Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 15 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, the brilliant stars of the constellations Orion and Canis Major shine in their midwinter glory.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
  • Below, closer to the horizon, Sirius — the brightest star in the night sky — will shine in Canis Major, with Orion positioned between Sirius and the moon.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Feb. 2026
  • During the winter season, two celestial dogs — the constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor — are on display in our evening sky.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Sirius is the brightest nighttime star, and the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, the Big Dog, still barely visible in the low early evening southwestern sky.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
  • But the concept of both Canis Major and Canis Minor belonging to Orion appears to be as ancient as the Dog Star itself.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
  • As majestic as the constellation Canis Major is, Orion’s little hunting dog Canis Minor is kind of a joke by comparison, at least in my opinion.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • The constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor are Orion the Hunter’s faithful companions in our starry skies.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Of course, every good hunter has his faithful hunting dogs, and Orion’s best friends were his big dog, Canis Major, and his little dog, Canis Minor, which are Latin for big and little dog respectively.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • In your mind’s eye, draw a line from the bright star Betelgeuse at the armpit of Orion the Hunter to Sirius in Canis Major, and then up to Procyon in Canis Minor.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
  • So too an equilateral triangle of bright stars; Procyon in Canis Minor, reddish Betelgeuse in Orion and Sirius in Canis Major.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
  • The two galaxies, IC 2163 and NGC 2207, are estimated to be around 120 million light years away in the constellation Canis Major.
    — Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • There’s Gemini the Twins, Auriga the Chariot Driver, Taurus the Bull, and Canis Major and Minor, the Big and Little Dogs of the winter celestial theater.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Canis Major.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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