clus⋅ter
[kluhs-ter] 
| 1. | a number of things of the same kind, growing or held together; a bunch: a cluster of grapes. |
| 2. | a group of things or persons close together: There was a cluster of tourists at the gate. |
| 3. | U.S. Army. a small metal design placed on a ribbon representing an awarded medal to indicate that the same medal has been awarded again: oak-leaf cluster. |
| 4. | Phonetics. a succession of two or more contiguous consonants in an utterance, as the str- cluster of strap. |
| 5. | Astronomy. a group of neighboring stars, held together by mutual gravitation, that have essentially the same age and composition and thus supposedly a common origin. Compare globular cluster, open cluster, stellar association. |
| 6. | to gather into a cluster or clusters. |
| 7. | to furnish or cover with clusters. |
| 8. | to form a cluster or clusters: The people clustered around to watch. |
bef. 900; ME; OE cluster, clyster bunch; c. LG kluster
Related forms:
8. group, gather, throng, crowd, bunch.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
| clus·ter (klŭs'tər) n.
v. intr. To gather or grow into bunches. v. tr. To cause to grow or form into bunches. [Middle English, from Old English clyster.] |
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Cluster
Clus"ter\, n. [AS. cluster, clyster; cf. LG. kluster (also Sw. & Dan. klase a cluster of grapes, D. klissen to be entangled?.)]1. A number of things of the same kind growing together; a bunch. Her deeds were like great clusters of ripe grapes, Which load the bunches of the fruitful vine. --Spenser. 2. A number of similar things collected together or lying contiguous; a group; as, a cluster of islands. "Cluster of provinces." --Motley. 3. A number of individuals grouped together or collected in one place; a crowd; a mob. As bees . . . Pour forth their populous youth about the hive In clusters. --Milton. We loved him; but, like beasts And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters, Who did hoot him out o' the city. --Shak.Cluster
Clus"ter\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Clustered; p. pr. & vb. n. Clustering.] To grow in clusters or assemble in groups; to gather or unite in a cluster or clusters. His sunny hair Cluster'd about his temples, like a god's. --Tennyson. The princes of the country clustering together. --Foxe.Cluster
Clus"ter\, v. t. To collect into a cluster or clusters; to gather into a bunch or close body. Not less the bee would range her cells, . . . The foxglove cluster dappled bells. --Tennyson. Or from the forest falls the clustered snow. --Thomson. Clustered column (Arch.), a column which is composed, or appears to be composed, of several columns collected together.Cite This Source
cluster (n.)
Cite This Source
cluster
1.
2.
A file is made up of a whole number of possibly non-contiguous clusters. The cluster size is a tradeoff between space efficiency (the bigger is the cluster, the bigger is on the average the wasted space at the end of each file) and the length of the FAT.
(1996-11-04)
Cite This Source
cluster
Atoms and molecules are the smallest forms of matter typically encountered under normal conditions and are in that sense the basic building blocks of the material world. There are phenomena, such as lightning and electric discharges of other kinds, that allow free electrons to be observed, but these are exceptional occurrences. It is of course in its gaseous state that matter is encountered at its atomic or molecular level; in gases each molecule is an independent entity, only occasionally and briefly colliding with another molecule or with a confining wall.
Learn more about cluster with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Cite This Source
