Magellanic CloudsPronunciation: /ˌmadʒɪˈlanɪk/ AstronomyDefinition of Magellanic Clouds two diffuse luminous patches in the southern sky, now known to be small irregular galaxies that are the closest to our own. The Large Magellanic Cloud is about 169,000 light years away and the Small Magellanic Cloud is about 210,000 light years. Origin:named after the Portuguese explorer Magellan (see Magellan, Ferdinand)Magellanic Clouds in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of Magellanic Clouds in the US English dictionary
