{
    "term": "cluster",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a group of things of the same type that grow or appear close together",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The telescope is focused on a dense cluster of stars at the edge of the galaxy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The plant bears its flowers in clusters."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a leukaemia cluster *(= an area where there are more cases of the disease than you would expect)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Doctors are worried about what appear to be cancer clusters occurring in these areas."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bacteria form clusters in the gut of the host animal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The plants have clusters of white flowers in early June."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["little", "small", "large"],
                "preposition": ["in a/​the cluster", "cluster of"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a group of people, animals or things close together",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a cluster of spectators"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a little cluster of houses"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a dense cluster of buildings"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The church stood in a small cluster of houses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A woman had emerged from the cluster of buildings."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["little", "small", "large"],
                "preposition": ["in a/​the cluster", "cluster of"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a group of consonants that come together in a word or phrase, for example /str/ at the beginning of string",
            "labels": "(phonetics)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a consonant cluster"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Language"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklʌstə(r)/",
                "audio": "cl/cluster/cluster__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklʌstər/",
                "audio": "cl/cluster/cluster__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English clyster; probably related to clot."
}