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firmament

Pronunciation: /ˈfɜːməm(ə)nt/

The English word “firmament” has 7 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. The vault of the heavens, where the clouds, sun, moon, and stars can be seen; the heavens, the sky.
  2. The field or sphere of an activity or interest.
  3. In the geocentric Ptolemaic system, the eighth celestial sphere which carried the fixed stars; (countable, by extension) any celestial sphere.
  4. The abode of God and the angels; heaven.
  5. A piece of jewellery worn in a headdress with numerous gems resembling stars in the sky.
  6. A basis or foundation; a support.
  7. The act or process of making firm or strengthening.

Etymology

From Middle English firmament, furmament (“heaven; sky”), from Old French firmament (“firmament”), or from its etymon Latin firmāmentum (“support; sky”), from firmāre (“to strengthen”) + -mentum (suffix indicating an instrument or medium, or the result of an action). Firmāre is the present active infinitive of firmō (“to make firm, strengthen”), from firmus (“firm, strong, stable”), ultimately…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.