galactic

Borrowed from Ancient Greek γαλακτικός (galaktikós, “milky”), from γάλα (gála, “milk”). Doublet of galactico.

• IPA^(key): /ɡəˈlæktɪk/

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• Rhymes: -æktɪk

galactic (comparative more galactic, superlative most galactic)

1. (medicine) Of or pertaining to milk, or the secretion of milk.

   galactic acid

2. Relating to a galaxy.
   1. (astronomy, specifically, sometimes capitalized) Relating to the Milky Way galaxy.

      Synonym: Galactic

      Galactic astronomy is the study of the Milky Way.

3. (figuratively) Enormous (in size or impact).
   • 1998, Mark Lynton, Accidental Journey: A Cambridge Intern's Memory of World War II:

     The policies and decisions to be made were neither very complex nor very numerous, since at that time, the needs and priorities in Germany did not involve issues of galactic impact, […]

   • 1999, Jonathan Michael Wyndham Slack, Egg & ego: an almost true story of life in the biology lab, page 65:

     For a fashion journal, there is a more important and more difficult judgement to make: Is the work of such galactic significance as to be eligible to grace the pages of this magnificent journal?

   • 2007, Jeffrey P. Brown, Black Body Radiation and the Ultraviolet Catastrophe, page 128:

     “Yes, his heart is one of galactic proportions.”

   • 2008, José D. Roncal; José N. Abbo, The Big Gamble: Are You Investing Or Speculating?, page 94:

     The credit crunch became a mess of galactic proportions.

From French galactique.

galactic m or n (feminine singular galactică, masculine plural galactici, feminine and neuter plural galactice)

1. galactic