coronal mass ejection

noun

: a tremendous outburst of energy from the corona of the sun that can cause disruptions in the earth's geomagnetic field

As they had for the January eruption, the researchers relied on an armada of spacecraft to track the disturbance, known as a coronal mass ejection because it originates in the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona.

—Ron Cowen

—abbreviation CME compare solar flare

Examples of coronal mass ejection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Several eruptions of energy from the sun, known as coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, are expected to reach Earth’s magnetic field over the next two nights. —Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025

However, satellites about a million miles from Earth picked up the arrival of a coronal mass ejection (CME) early today. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025

These particles emerge from a coronal mass ejection or a solar flare that bursts out from our nearest star. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

Both eruptions unleashed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — vast plumes of magnetized plasma — but early modelling shows neither is directed at Earth. —Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for coronal mass ejection

• abjection
• advection
• affection
• bijection
• bisection
• collection
• complexion
• confection
• connection
• connexion
• convection
• correction