# What does this word mean to you **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126 "2012-06-24T04:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/41 "2012-06-24T13:11:58Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Please enlighten us (with spoiler tags)! I just spent ten minutes trying to find what you’re referring to – I assume it’s pornographic or something – and I found nothing. I’ll explain what it’s all about soon enough. I’ll leave it to run a while longer, though. It isn’t pornographic. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/42 "2012-06-24T13:23:16Z")
If I treat it as word-association, three things come to mind in rapid succession. [spoiler]Of the sky. (What it actually means. Yes, this could mean outer space, but it could also mean the illusion of a blue dome overhead.) Teh upper heaven in Mormon eschatology. (Thanks, LDS bestie!) The “Unknowable Celestials” in Kirby’s Marvel work. (Space Gods. Really big.) Mostly, “of the sky.”[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/43 "2012-06-24T13:52:56Z")
Ok, I’ll play too. Having to do with the sky, or with heaven. Oh, and I guess there’s that brand of herbal teas with that name, too… Celestial Teas or something? I can’t figure out what other meanings other people might get out of it. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/44 "2012-06-24T13:59:31Z")
heavenly ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/45 "2012-06-24T14:09:01Z")
Of the heavens. Ethereal. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/46 "2012-06-24T14:12:20Z")
heavenly; astronomically-related ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/47 "2012-06-24T14:16:49Z")
space, stars, then tea. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/48 "2012-06-24T14:19:48Z")
Not pornographic, huh? Okay, no idea, then. Unless you were thinking of its specialized sense to mean: In some outlaw Mormon branch or other, isn’t the phrase “celestial marriage” used as a poor excuse/euphemism for an older man to have multiple underage sexual partners? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/49 "2012-06-24T14:38:45Z")
Heavenly: to do with the sky (especially astronomical bodies) or the gods (who traditionally live in the sky; (by metaphorical extension) wonderful and beautiful. That is out of my head, and without looking at other people’s answers. What do I win?😛 ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/50 "2012-06-24T14:43:44Z")
“Of the sky,” usually in scientific context (i.e., Celestial Object.) I’d be hard pressed to think of any other different use I would have for the word ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/51 "2012-06-24T14:45:02Z")
See below… starry heavenly sacred/otherworldly in some contexts, as in the phrase celestial host ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/52 "2012-06-24T14:47:59Z")
Also brought to mind: the musical instrument the [celeste](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celesta), and Babar the Elephant’s wife, but those can’t be what you have in mind, surely. And I probably should have said metonymic extension, rather than metaphorical, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/53 "2012-06-24T15:03:04Z")
Pertaining to the cosmos/stars/outer space. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/54 "2012-06-24T15:12:06Z")
I decided to read this far before posting, and since all the “first thing to pop into my mind” meanings and synonyms that I would have mentioned have been mentioned multiple times I’ll just add a few oddball things in my memory: [spoiler] -Brother Dave Gardner, a stand-up comedian from my college years, used to say “Ain’t that celestial?” as a tagline to something far out or absurd. -Aren’t there some _Celestial Seasonings_ brand spices or condiments? -The thing about the Chinese did sound a little familiar but I can’t attribute it to a specific source or time I might have heard it [/spoiler] Do be a nice person and tell us your theory or whatever. Don’t allow this to become another > [@](#): > > 7 = S on a F P P or worse. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/55 "2012-06-24T15:13:04Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Please enlighten us (with spoiler tags)! I just spent ten minutes trying to find what you’re referring to – I assume it’s pornographic or something – and I found nothing. I’m guessing he’s referring to the meaning Senegoid references. (Which I have heard of and would only stumble over briefly if I ran into it in its native context, but is not, due to its complete archaicness and from what I’ve seen, rarity even in that context, would never in a million years think of unbidden.) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/56 "2012-06-24T15:28:22Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I’m guessing he’s referring to the meaning Senegoid references. > > (Which I have heard of and would only stumble over briefly if I ran into it in its native context, but is not, due to its complete archaicness and from what I’ve seen, rarity even in that context, would never in a million years think of unbidden.) Possibly, but there are other possibilities, including the one I mentioned: The Mormon-offshoot illegal “celestial marriage”. I’m sure the OP will be back soon to clue us in. He’s been around the SDMB a while. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/57 "2012-06-24T15:50:34Z")
[spoiler]Of or having to do with the stars in the sky. Also a type of creature built using the template of the same name, conveying resistances, strength, magic resistance, and the Outsider designation.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/58 "2012-06-24T15:58:28Z")
Interesting revelation as to how many of us have been proudly posting for years, without ever reading the full OP. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![newme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e0b2c6/32.png) [@newme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newme)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/59 "2012-06-24T16:00:19Z")
pertaining to the sky, heaven, or outer space ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/60 "2012-06-24T16:02:21Z")
So only synonyms? Heavenly Divine Stellar [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126.md?page=4)