# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/61 "2012-06-24T16:09:24Z")
Of or pertaining to the night sky. Synonyms: starry, stellar. ---
**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, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/62 "2012-06-24T16:10:51Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > Interesting revelation as to how many of us have been proudly posting for years, without ever reading the full OP. 😛 You mean “hours”? And, are you referring to the request for “synonyms” only? True, many responses go beyond this, by including phrasal definitions, but I doubt that will hurt the OP’s purposes. ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/63 "2012-06-24T16:16:33Z")
“Celestial” means pertaining to: 1. The sky, especially a starry night sky 2. Heaven ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/64 "2012-06-24T16:39:04Z")
Having to do with the stars. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/65 "2012-06-24T16:50:54Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > You mean “hours”? > > And, are you referring to the request for “synonyms” only? True, many responses go beyond this, by including phrasal definitions, but I doubt that will hurt the OP’s purposes. I don’t know what **tapu** is referring to either, but the OP didn’t say _only_ synonyms. He also wrote > [@](#): > > I’d like to know what people think it means. […] Tell me what YOU think the word means. Maybe **tapu** meant the request for the spoiler box, although this far in, that request seems irrelevant (IMHO). ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/66 "2012-06-24T17:04:01Z")
pertaining to the heavens, or stars ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/67 "2012-06-24T17:24:28Z")
Like the heavens. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/68 "2012-06-24T17:42:51Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Do be a nice person and tell us your theory or whatever. Don’t allow this to become another > or worse. 😃 Yes, for goodness’ sake! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/69 "2012-06-24T17:48:42Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > 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. Those were the second and fourth things I though of (Celeste Holm being the third). I assume the OP is getting at that little known definition which I have heard of some time in my life, but it never would have come to mind to answer this. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/70 "2012-06-24T19:01:14Z")
> [@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 was getting ads for Chinese ladies, a dating service or somewhat. Not really porn, per say, but the third definition on that page WAS referencing the Chinese empire, which I would have assumed was another heavens-ward reference, but maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/71 "2012-06-24T19:23:25Z")
Of or having to do with the stars, the heavens, the sky (particularly the night sky), and/or outer space. Depending on the context it’s used in, this could be in an astronomical sense (e.g. celestial bodies like stars and asteroids), a metaphorical sense (screaming his anguish to the heavens), scifi (celestial entities, i.e. aliens), a spiritual sense (angels being described as celestial beings, celestial energies, etc.), and probably some other senses that I’m not thinking of at the moment. Kind of an odd question… it’s a common enough word. I’d be surprised by an adult who didn’t understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/72 "2012-06-24T19:25:07Z")
The simplest synonym is heavenly For any other synonym, there’s two different meanings you could be referring to, but both the OP’s word and the one I just used can carry both of those meanings: “Celestial” or “heavenly” can refer to something physical or metaphysical. In a physical sense, either can refer to space or the sky or related concepts, such as referring to Mars as a celestial or heavenly body. In a metaphysical sense, you’re referring to the realm of God or the afterlife or the like, in which case “angelic” would be an approximate synonym. OK, now to read the rest of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/73 "2012-06-24T19:28:08Z")
no synonyms come to mind, but the word makes me think of stars, heavenly bodies, etc. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/74 "2012-06-24T19:31:16Z")
I did not look at anyone else’s list dealing with outer space lofty, profound heavenly (both in a sense of being in outer space as well as regarding the area where God or gods live according to various religions) Dealing with a ceiling or ceilings. For example, a celestial window/skylight involving a starscape image (i.e. the view of a night sky, or the sight of numerous stars visible from a spaceship or other planet, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/75 "2012-06-24T19:57:43Z")
> [@leenmi](#): > > Heavenly. Either spiritually or as a reference to the stars. ditto ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/76 "2012-06-24T20:48:39Z")
Heavenly, ethereal Astronomical, Anything in the sky Chinese immigrant to US Angel-like beings in DnD Planescape (Devas, Solars, Archons, Eladrins and the like) Giant godlike beings in Marvel universe - created the Eternals (liked Gaiman’s revisit of this) Some grade of LDS heaven, IIRC ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/77 "2012-06-24T20:52:38Z")
:dubious: Having to do with: planets, stars, planetary orbits, astronomy, astrology, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/78 "2012-06-24T21:08:34Z")
Haven’t read the thread. It means “having to do with the heavens”. Now I will read the thread. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/79 "2012-06-24T21:54:15Z")
[spoiler] I think it refers to “the Heavens”. That could mean a Christian heaven, an unspecified higher plane, or non-mundane outer space. Synonyms: heavenly, and maybe ethereal.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126/80 "2012-06-24T22:12:49Z")
heavenly, astronomical [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/626126.md?page=5)