cluster

1 of 2

noun

clus·​ter ˈklə-stər How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: a number of similar things that occur together: such as
a
: two or more consecutive consonants or vowels in a segment of speech
b
: a group of buildings and especially houses built close together on a sizable tract in order to preserve open spaces larger than the individual yard for common recreation
c
: an aggregation of stars or galaxies that appear close together in the sky and are gravitationally associated
the Perseus cluster of galaxies
d
: a larger than expected number of cases of disease (such as leukemia) occurring in a particular locality, group of people, or period of time
e
: a number of computers networked together in order to function as a single computing system
Consisting of groups of inexpensive machines cobbled together, clusters in many ways have supplanted traditional supercomputers.Elizabeth K. Wilson
clustery adjective

cluster

2 of 2

verb

clustered; clustering ˈklə-st(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce cluster (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to collect into a cluster
cluster the tents together
2
: to furnish with clusters
the bridge was clustered with men and officersHerman Wouk

intransitive verb

: to grow, assemble, or occur in a cluster
they clustered around the fire

Examples of cluster in a Sentence

Noun a cluster of cottages along the shore A small cluster of people had gathered at the scene of the accident. Verb The children clustered around the storyteller. the mice clustered together into a small burrow
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The clusters corresponded to types of cells discovered by generations of biologists. Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 And for the first time since 2019, a cluster of U.K. companies will also be on the Filmart sales floor, notably Hanway Films, Altitude Film Sales and Kaleidoscope Film Distribution. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 This makes the cluster one of the most difficult areas of sky to navigate, but careful star hopping and growing familiar with the galaxies can make the task less intimidating. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 Up the dirt road from the border wall, past saguaros and organ pipe cactuses, U.S. Border Patrol agents and other federal agents brought a handful of migrants to a cluster of tents for field processing before taking them to the Ajo Station. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 2 Mar. 2024 Projected onto the windscreen is another slender gauge cluster, which shows more information about active safety systems and state of charge. Tim Stevens, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024 Irish, German, Jewish and Italian immigrants, plus Chinese, Japanese and Lebanese, all crammed together in in their own clusters, with their own churches. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024 On the horizon a cluster of roseate clouds match the hue of my drink. Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024 The cluster of blazes included a fire that grew into one of the largest in state history. Nigel Chiwaya, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
The collection depicts millions of stars clustered at galaxies' cores in near- and mid-infrared light, serving as the latest example of Webb's astonishing capabilities to reveal distant, mysterious corners of our universe. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 The stars are spread out into a pinwheel shape clustered around a black hole at its core. Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 2 Mar. 2024 Democratic voters tend to cluster around large cities (Milwaukee, Madison), small cities (Eau Claire, La Crosse) and inner suburbs (Wauwatosa outside Milwaukee, Middleton outside Madison). Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2024 The audience, clustered around circular tables under string lights, bursts into laughter. Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 Alfa Romeo and Mercedes-Benz also did poorly, placing 28th and 29th respectively, while Cadillac, Genesis and Infiniti ended up clustered in about the middle at 14th, 15th and 16th place. Collin Woodard / Jalopnik, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 Scrapping fares also prevented passengers from clustering around fare boxes and eliminated the need for some face-to-face interactions. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 The brightest elements of this universe mostly cluster around the Fire Nation, and not just because their flames are inherently more cinematic than the earthbenders’ floating rocks or the airbenders’ gusts of wind. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 The quake, which had a depth of about 4.1 miles, was part of a series of several earthquakes clustered together Friday and Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cluster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English clyster; akin to Old English clott clot

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cluster was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cluster

Cite this Entry

“Cluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cluster. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cluster

1 of 2 noun
clus·​ter ˈkləs-tər How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: a number of similar things growing, collected, or grouped together : bunch
a cluster of houses
a flower cluster

cluster

2 of 2 verb
clustered; clustering -t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: to grow, collect, or gather in a cluster

Medical Definition

cluster

noun
clus·​ter ˈkləs-tər How to pronounce cluster (audio)
: a larger than expected number of cases of disease (as leukemia) occurring in a particular locality, group of people, or period of time

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