different between asterism vs asteism

English

From Ancient Greek ?????????? (asterismós, “group of stars”), from ????? (ast?r, “star”).

asterism (plural asterisms)

(astronomy) An unofficial constellation (small group of stars that forms a visible pattern).
The Big Dipper, Summer Triangle, and Orion's Belt are asterisms.
- 1825, Geo G. Carey, Astronomy, as it is known at the present day, London, p. 66 f.:
  Of the constellations, or asterisms. [...] It therefore became necessary to adopt a more general method of distinguishing them. This was accomplished by portioning out the heavens into imaginary figures, of men, birds, fishes, &c. called Constellations or Asterisms.
A rarely used typographical symbol (?, three asterisks arranged in a triangle), used to call attention to a passage or to separate subchapters in a book.
(mineralogy) A star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals by reflected light (as in a star sapphire) or by transmitted light (as in some mica).

Reitsmas, Ritsemas, St. Maries, maisters, maistres, misrates, semistar, smarties

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ??????? (asteîos, “of the town; urbane”), from ???? (ástu, “town”). Compare Greek ????????? (asteïsmós).

asteism (countable and uncountable, plural asteisms)

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