Uranus

name

Etymology: Etymology tree Ancient Greek οὐρᾰνός (ourănós) Ancient Greek Οὐρᾰνός (Ourănós)der. Latin Ūranusbor. English Uranus Borrowed from Latin Ūranus, from Ancient Greek Οὐρανός (Ouranós), from οὐρανός (ouranós, “sky, heaven”).

1. The seventh planet in our solar system, discovered in 1781 by William Herschel.

   “The giving the name of Uranus, however, to the planet of M. Herſchel, in which M. Bode ſtill perſiſts, is an act of ingratitude to the author of that noble diſcovery, and an affront to that auguſt and munificent patron of aſtronomy, the King of Great Britain ; whoſe name ought to be preferred to every other, if that of the author had not a ſtill more forcible claim on our acknowledgements. Beſides, the name of Uranus is an impropriety, even according to the mythological ſyſtem. Sanchoniathon and Diodorus, it is true, ſay, that Saturn was the ſon of Uranus; but this is now allowed to be purely allegorical.”

2. The Greek god who personified the sky and heavens and fathered the Titans. Roman counterpart: Caelus.