clus·ter / ˈkləstər/ • n. a group of similar objects growing closely together: clusters of creamy-white flowers. ∎  a group of people or similar objects positioned or occurring close together: a cluster of antique shops. ∎  Astron. a group of stars or galaxies forming a relatively close association. ∎  Linguistics (also consonant cluster) a group of consonants pronounced in immediate succession, as str in strong. ∎  a natural subgroup of a population, used for statistical sampling or analysis. ∎  Chem. a group of atoms of the same element, typically a metal, bonded closely together in a molecule.• v. [intr.] be or come into a cluster or close group; congregate: the children clustered around her skirts. ∎ Statistics (of data points) have similar numerical values: students tended to have scores clustering around 70 percent.

cluster.
1. Vertical support, or cantoned pier (pilier cantonné), consisting of a cluster of columns or shafts joined together, inosculated, or engaged with a central pier.

2. Annulated, clustered, or compound pier with colonnettes or shafts attached to it and each other by means of bands of a shaft, as distinct (according to some sources) from a bundle pier. Other sources claim the shafts can be attached or detached, or appear as demi- or engaged shafts against a pier or core: however, the problem arises from the fact that on the Continent the minor shafts were almost always engaged with the central mass, but in English First Pointed examples they were detached, and often of dark Purbeck marble, tied together at intervals by bands of a shaft.

Cluster

a number of like things growing together; a number of similar things collected together; a rounded mass; a clot or clutter; a body of people collected together; a crowd; group. See also bunch, crowd.

Examples: cluster of apples, 1400; of bees, 1609; of blood, 1548; of churches; of churls, 1486; of curls, 1798; of crystals; of eggs, 1555; of rich parasitic fancies, 1856; of feelings, 1855; of grapes, 1486; of houses; of icebergs, 1860; of ideas, 1768; of islands, 1697; of jewels, 1712; of knots, 1486; of civil law, 1607; of memories, 1884; of nuts, 1483; of pines, 1797; of spiders; of stars, 1854; of towers, 1400; of woes, 1742.

cluster. Term used in connection with chords, meaning chords of which the constituents are a major or minor 2nd apart. In US, called ‘tonecluster’. Kbd. clusters, i.e. a group of adjacent notes played together with the forearm flat, were first demonstrated by the Amer. composer Cowell in 1913, but Ives had also used the same idea.

cluster
1. A group of similar devices, such as processors, storage units, or peripheral devices, brought together to provide enhanced performance, security, or resilience to failure.

2. A unit of storage, usually on a disk, that comprises a contiguous area made up from a number of basic units of storage.

3. See concept learning.