sunspot

noun

sun·​spot ˈsən-ˌspät 

: any of the dark spots that appear at times on the sun's surface and are usually visible only through a telescope

Examples of sunspot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Singing onstage at New York’s Beacon Theatre or puttering around her house in Brittany, Birkin appears shorter and stouter, with thin lips and sunspots. —Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025

But if sunspot numbers and TSI fall, GHG effects will be larger than that measured by earth temperature rise. —Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

At the trough of the solar cycle, sunspots are sparse, and subsequent solar flares and CMEs — which typically originate from sunspot regions — can be absent for months at a time. —Ryan French, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Solar science involves analyzing sunspots and other solar activity, while climatology focuses on weather patterns, and meteorology studies atmospheric conditions. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sunspot

• allot
• barat
• begot
• besought
• bethought
• bloodshot
• boycott
• buckshot
• crackpot
• croat
• culottes
• dashpot

Kids Definition

sunspot

noun

sun·​spot -ˌspät 

: one of the dark spots that appear from time to time on the sun's surface and are usually visible only through a telescope