magnetosphere

noun

mag·​ne·​to·​sphere mag-ˈnē-tə-ˌsfir 

-ˈne-

: a region of space surrounding a celestial object (such as a planet or star) that is dominated by the object's magnetic field so that charged particles are trapped in it

magnetospheric

mag-ˌnē-tə-ˈsfir-ik 

-ˈsfer-

-ˌne-

adjective

Examples of magnetosphere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two identical spacecraft will orbit in formation to provide a first-of-its-kind 3D view of Mars' magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. —Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2025

Offering negligible protection compared to Earth’s magnetosphere, these worlds themselves do little to shield any surface dwellers from the particles and radiation emitted by the Sun. —Big Think, 6 Nov. 2025

When the lines of a CME’s magnetic field and those of the Earth’s magnetic field are pointed in the opposite directions, the CME can unite with the Earth’s magnetosphere and fill it with vast quantities of solar energy. —Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025

The most volcanically active body in the solar system, Io ejects material that is then swept into space by Jupiter’s magnetosphere at a rate of roughly a ton per second. —Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

magneto- + -sphere

Note: Term introduced by the Austrian-born physicist Thomas Gold (1920-2004) in "Motions in the Magnetosphere of the Earth," Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 64, no. 9 (September, 1959), pp. 1219-24.

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for magnetosphere

• acyclovir
• asthenosphere
• ganciclovir
• atmosphere
• biosphere
• centromere
• chemosphere
• chromosphere
• hemisphere
• hydrosphere
• lithosphere
• mesosphere

Kids Definition

magnetosphere

noun

mag·​ne·​to·​sphere mag-ˈnēt-ə-ˌsfi(ə)r 

-ˈnet-

: a region of space around an object (as a planet or star) that is dominated by the object's magnetic field