/ ˌɜːsə ˈmeɪdʒə(r); NAmE ˌɜːrsə/ (also the ˌGreat ˈBear ) noun
[ sing. ] a large group of stars that can be clearly seen from the northern hemisphere
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WORD ORIGIN
Latin , from the story in Greek mythology that the nymph Callisto was turned into a bear and placed as a constellation in the heavens by Zeus.