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Sirius, a star of the constellation Canis Major, or the Greater Dog, and the brightest star in the heavens; -- called also Canicula, and, in astronomical charts, a Canis Majoris. See Dog days.

The Dog Star; Sirius.

Pertaining to, or measured, by the rising of the Dog Star. Canicular days, the dog days, See Dog days. -- Canicular year, the Egyptian year, computed from one heliacal rising of the Dog Star to another.

ym: [L., larger dog], a constellation to the southeast of Orion, containing Sirius or the Dog Star. -- Canis minor Etym: [L., smaller dog], a constellation to the east of Orion, containing Procyon, a star of the first magnitude.

Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle.

is Major and Canis Minor, or the Greater Dog and the Lesser Dog. Canis Major contains the Dog Star (Sirius).

eptember; canicular days; -- so called in reference to the rising in ancient times of the Dog Star (Sirius) with the sun. Popularly, the sultry, close part of the summer.

The Dog Star. See Dog Star.

Of or pertaining to Sothis, the Egyptian name for the Dog Star; taking its name from the Dog Star; canicular. Sothiac, or Sothic, year (Chronol.), the Egyptian year of 365 days and 6 hours, as distinguished from the Egyptian vague year, which contained 365 days. The Sothic period consists of 1,460 Sothic years, being e…

Gloomy; malignant. [Obs.] Milton. Swart star, the Dog Star; -- so called from its appearing during the hot weather of summer, which makes swart the countenance. [R.] Milton.