TERMIUM Plus®
From: Translation Bureau
On social media
Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.
VIA LACTEA [4 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2023-11-01
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Astrophysics and Cosmography
- Space Physics
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- Milky Way
1, record 1, English, Milky%20Way
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- Galaxy 2, record 1, English, Galaxy
correct
- Milky Way galaxy 3, record 1, English, Milky%20Way%20galaxy
correct
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
... a band of light across the night sky made up of a huge number of stars that form a large part of the galaxy that includes our sun and its planets ... 4, record 1, English, - Milky%20Way
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is typical: it has hundreds of billions of stars, enough gas and dust to make billions more stars, and at least ten times as much dark matter as all the stars and gas put together. And it's all held together by gravity. 5, record 1, English, - Milky%20Way
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Astrophysique et cosmographie
- Physique spatiale
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- Voie lactée
1, record 1, French, Voie%20lact%C3%A9e
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- Galaxie 2, record 1, French, Galaxie
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
[...] bande blanchâtre floue, formée d'innombrables étoiles, constituant la trace sur la sphère céleste du disque de la galaxie à l'intérieur de laquelle se situe le Système solaire. 3, record 1, French, - Voie%20lact%C3%A9e
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
La Voie lactée est le nom de notre galaxie. Foyer du Système solaire, elle est de type spiral, s'étend sur environ 100 000 années-lumière et contient 100 à 400 milliards d'étoiles. À cela il faut ajouter au moins autant de planètes. 4, record 1, French, - Voie%20lact%C3%A9e
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Astrofísica y cosmografía
- Física espacial
Record 1, Main entry term, Spanish
- Vía láctea
1, record 1, Spanish, V%C3%ADa%20l%C3%A1ctea
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 1, Synonyms, Spanish
- Galaxia 2, record 1, Spanish, Galaxia
correct, feminine noun
- Camino de Santiago 3, record 1, Spanish, Camino%20de%20Santiago
masculine noun, Spain
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
La Vía Láctea [...] es una galaxia espiral donde se encuentra el sistema solar y a su vez la Tierra. [...] De noche se ve como una borrosa banda de luz blanca alrededor de toda la esfera celeste. El fenómeno visual de la Vía Láctea se debe a estrellas y otros materiales que se hallan sobre el plano de la galaxia, como el gas interestelar. 3, record 1, Spanish, - V%C3%ADa%20l%C3%A1ctea
Record 2 - internal organization data 2021-10-08
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Various Proper Names
- The Stars (Astronomy)
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- Perseus
1, record 2, English, Perseus
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
A conspicuous constellation of the northern hemisphere, lying in the Milky Way between Andromeda and Auriga and containing the star Algol. 2, record 2, English, - Perseus
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Appellations diverses
- Étoiles (Astronomie)
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- Persée
1, record 2, French, Pers%C3%A9e
correct, feminine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Constellation du ciel boréal, visible à l'œil nu. 2, record 2, French, - Pers%C3%A9e
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Denominaciones varias
- Estrellas (Astronomía)
Record 2, Main entry term, Spanish
- Perseo
1, record 2, Spanish, Perseo
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 2, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Constelación boreal, situada junto a la de Andrómeda y atravesada por la Vía Láctea. 1, record 2, Spanish, - Perseo
Record 3 - internal organization data 2015-01-12
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Astronomy
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- nebula
1, record 3, English, nebula
correct
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A mass of gas or dust within a galaxy, typically visible either as a luminous patch or as a dark silhouette against a brighter background. 2, record 3, English, - nebula
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Astronomie
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- nébuleuse
1, record 3, French, n%C3%A9buleuse
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Astronomía
Record 3, Main entry term, Spanish
- nebulosa
1, record 3, Spanish, nebulosa
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 3, Synonyms, Spanish
- enjambre de estrellas 2, record 3, Spanish, enjambre%20de%20estrellas
masculine noun
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Masa de materia cósmica en estado muy diluido que se presenta como una nube y da origen, al concentrarse, a una estrella o enjambre de ellas. 2, record 3, Spanish, - nebulosa
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 OBS
La Vía Láctea es una nebulosa. 3, record 3, Spanish, - nebulosa
Record 4 - internal organization data 2004-11-16
Record 4, English
Record 4, Subject field(s)
- Geophysics
- Astrochemistry and Cosmochemistry
- Atmospheric Physics
Record 4, Main entry term, English
- zodiacal light
1, record 4, English, zodiacal%20light
correct
Record 4, Abbreviations, English
Record 4, Synonyms, English
Record 4, Textual support, English
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A cone of light extending upward from the horizon in the direction of the ecliptic. 2, record 4, English, - zodiacal%20light
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The material that leaves comets may in part account for the myriads of tiny particles that pervade the solar system. These particles become visible just after sunset or before sunrise as a faint glow extending up into the sky from a point on the horizon just above the sun. The faint glow follows the ecliptic and is called the "zodiacal light", for it is seen along the zodiac (the band of twelve constellations along the ecliptic). 3, record 4, English, - zodiacal%20light
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 OBS
zodiacal light. It is seen from tropical latitudes for a few hours after sunset or before sunrise. 2, record 4, English, - zodiacal%20light
Record 4, French
Record 4, Domaine(s)
- Géophysique
- Astrochimie et cosmochimie
- Physique de l'atmosphère
Record 4, Main entry term, French
- lumière zodiacale
1, record 4, French, lumi%C3%A8re%20zodiacale
correct, feminine noun
Record 4, Abbreviations, French
Record 4, Synonyms, French
Record 4, Textual support, French
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Lueur faible et diffuse, concentrée autour du Soleil, dans le plan de l'écliptique, observable en début et fin de nuit; elle est due à la diffusion de la lumière solaire par la matière interplanétaire. 2, record 4, French, - lumi%C3%A8re%20zodiacale
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 CONT
lumière zodiacale : Lumière blanche ou jaunâtre [...] On l'observe lorsque le fond du ciel est suffisamment noir et l'atmosphère suffisamment limpide. 3, record 4, French, - lumi%C3%A8re%20zodiacale
Record 4, Spanish
Record 4, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Geofísica
- Astroquímica y cosmoquímica
- Física de la atmósfera
Record 4, Main entry term, Spanish
- luz zodiacal
1, record 4, Spanish, luz%20zodiacal
correct, feminine noun
Record 4, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 4, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 4, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Franja luminosa más brillante que la vía Láctea, que puede verse en el cielo por occidente tras el ocaso, o por oriente antes del alba. 2, record 4, Spanish, - luz%20zodiacal
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)
Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.
Writing tools
The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies
Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified:


