WordWeb Online

1. (astronomy) a radially pulsating (expanding and contracting) variable star with a regular period, having a known relationship between period and intrinsic luminosity; measurements of the period and observed brightness allow the distance to be inferred
   "The distance ladder was built up over several stages first using parallax measurements and then cepheid variables";
   - cepheid

Derived forms: cepheid variables

Type of: variable, variable star

Encyclopedia: Cepheid variable