dwarf planet

noun

: a celestial body that orbits the sun and has a spherical shape but is not large enough to disturb other objects from its orbit

Examples of dwarf planet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Always an oddity as a planet, Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet in 2006. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 Similar processes are at play on other celestial bodies, such as Mercury and the dwarf planet Ceres. K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2026 Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026 Or look further into the cosmos: Could the dwarf planet Haumea be blamed for your flight getting canceled? Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dwarf planet

Word History

First Known Use

1993, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dwarf planet was in 1993

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Cite this Entry

“Dwarf planet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dwarf%20planet. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

dwarf planet

noun
: a celestial object similar to a planet but too small to clear other objects from its orbit
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