nebula

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin nebula (“little cloud, mist”). Akin to Ancient Greek νεφέλη (nephélē, “cloud”), German Nebel (“mist, nebula”), Old Norse nifl, Polish niebo (“sky, heaven”), Russian не́бо (nébo, “sky”).

noun

  1. (astronomy) A cloud in outer space consisting of gas or dust (e.g. a cloud formed after a star explodes).
    Approximately 5 billion years ago, our solar nebula was formed as gravitational forces pulled interstellar gas and dust into a swirling mass around out newly formed sun. 2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition
  2. (archaic, medicine) A white spot or slight opacity of the cornea.
  3. (obsolete, medicine) A cloudy appearance in the urine.

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