Vela

Named by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1763. From Latin vēla (“sails of a ship”), plural of vēlum. Doublet of veil.

Vela

1. (astronomy) A spring constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble the sails of a ship. Until 1763, it was part of a larger constellation, Argo Navis.

• Velorum

• Argo
• Argo Navis
• Carina
• Puppis
• Pyxis

• Leva, Vale, Veal, avel, eval, lave, leva, vale, veal

Possibly from the pre-Roman name Vela, a borrowing from Basque bela vela (“raven”), or more likely from the noun vela (“sail”). Also from placenames in Spain that derive from the other sense of vela (“guard, vigil”).

Vela ?

1. Vela (constellation)
2. a surname