firmament
gb/fˈɚməmənt/ us/fˈɚməmənt/
C1
English
~ 10000
égbolt, mennybolt, világ, élet
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
1
Usage pattern:
the firmament above [something]
A thousand bright stars glittered in the silent firmament.
Ezer fényes csillag szikrázott a néma égbolton.
The rocket shot up, disappearing into the dark firmament above the desert.
A rakéta felszökött, majd beleveszett a sivatag fölötti sötét égboltba.
Clouds moved slowly across the blue firmament as the day warmed.
Ancient sailors read the firmament to guide their ships across the oceans.
Learner examples
Many stars filled the night firmament.
Sok csillag töltötte meg az éjszakai égboltot.
Birds flew high in the clear firmament.
A madarak magasan repültek a tiszta égen.
We lay on the grass and watched the firmament above us.
The moon was alone in the dark firmament.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "firmament" with "firm ground" because of the word "firm." In fact, "firmament" is a literary word for the sky, not for solid earth. It is also much less common than the everyday word "sky."
Meaning
the sky or the heavens
Collocations
the starry firmament
|the blue firmament
|the celestial firmament
|across the firmament
|beneath the firmament
|the firmament above
Synonyms
sky (Most common everyday word; less poetic or religious than "firmament.")
|
heavens (Often religious or emotional; similar poetic tone but can also suggest a divine realm.)
Antonyms
earth (Represents the ground or the human world below, contrasting with the sky above.)
Themes
nature
|religion
|literature
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The sky above the earth, especially when it looks big and full of stars.
The sky, especially when thought of as a vast dome or arch stretching above the earth, often filled with stars.
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
2
Usage pattern:
the [adjective] firmament of [field]
The young director quickly rose in the cinematic firmament with her first feature film.
A fiatal rendező első nagyjátékfilmjével gyorsan felívelt a filmes világban.
Several new voices have appeared in the literary firmament over the past decade.
Az elmúlt évtizedben több új hang is megjelent az irodalmi életben.
His sudden exit from the political firmament left a noticeable gap in national debate.
They are rising stars in the global tech firmament.
Learner examples
She became a new star in the pop music firmament.
A popzenei világ új csillaga lett.
Many new writers have joined the literary firmament in recent years.
Az utóbbi években sok új író jelent meg az irodalmi életben.
He left the political firmament after many years in government.
The team entered the sports firmament with their big win.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use this sense of "firmament" in everyday speech where native speakers would normally say "world" or "scene," for example, *"the firmament of business"* in casual talk. This usage is correct but sounds very literary; in most situations, "world of business" is more natural.
Meaning
the world or sphere of activity
Collocations
the political firmament
|the cultural firmament
|the literary firmament
|the artistic firmament
|on the national firmament
|in the firmament of [music/art/politics]
Synonyms
world (Very common and neutral; "firmament" sounds more elevated or poetic than "the world of politics," etc.)
|
sphere (Formal term for an area of activity; less poetic and more abstract than "firmament.")
Antonyms
margins (Refers to people or groups outside the main or central part of a field, the opposite of being within its main "firmament.")
Themes
society
|culture
|politics
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
All the important people and things in one area, such as art, music, or politics, thought of together as one world.
The whole group of people, institutions, and achievements in a particular area of activity, especially in culture, art, or politics.
Grammar
Dictionary form
firmament
IPA
GB/fˈɚməmənt/
US/fˈɚməmənt/
Syllables & stress
firm - a - ment (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (firm)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: firmament
- Plural: firmament
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.