[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/firmament/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [F](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/f/) / firmament

# firmament

noun (firmaments)

«firmament» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

(old use) The firmament is the sky, especially the sky full of stars and heavenly things. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/firmament/#m1)

### In the lessons

in poems and fairy tales, the heavens above the earth, often full of stars

### Examples

- A falling star shone in the dark firmament. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/firmament/#x1)
- The whole firmament was ablaze with northern lights. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/firmament/#x2)
- Stars filled the firmament above the hills. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/firmament/#x3)
- The bird flew high into the firmament. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/firmament/#x4)

### Note

nothing for maths

## In Jewish tradition

In the Creation story God makes the firmament on the second day and calls it Heaven, to divide the waters above from the waters below.

**Interpretation.** The Hebrew word is raki'a, meaning something stretched or beaten out thin. The rabbis wondered at what the waters above were and why the sky is like a curtain.

### Examples

- And God called the firmament Heaven. (Torah GEN.1.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/#x1)
- And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, (Torah GEN.1.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/#x2)
- and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.' And it was so. (Torah GEN.1.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/#x3)
- The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork; (Writings PSA.19.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/#x4)
- Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the firmament of His power. (Writings PSA.150.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/#x5)
- For, when there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads, as they stood, they let down their wings. (Prophets EZK.1.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/#x6)

### Note

nothing for maths

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

the sky or heavens, especially the sky full of stars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/firmament/#m1)

### Then and now

An old word, now mostly found in poetry or old books; today we say sky.

### Examples

- And God called the firmament Heaven. (Torah GEN.1.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/firmament/#x1)
- A falling star shone in the dark firmament. (Andersen's Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/firmament/#x2)
- And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, (Torah GEN.1.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/firmament/#x3)

### Note

Today: sky.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «firmament» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/firmament/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«firmament» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/firmament.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «firmament» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/firmament/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«firmament» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/firmament.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «firmament» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/F/firmament/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«firmament» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/firmament.html) on Mova free.