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

During solar minimum, when the sun has few or no sunspots, the corona tends to look more uniform and more symmetrical. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Aug. 2026

The sun is in its solar cycle 25 which passed its peak activity in 2024, but sunspot activity remains relatively elevated, according to the Almanac. — Sarah Moore, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026

To see them in the solar photosphere, the team pushed DKIST to its limits, zooming in on the outskirts of a sunspot and revealing dozens. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026

In addition to softening skin, tocopherol fends off free radicals found in the environment, the likes of which contribute to sunspots, sagging, and other signs of aging. — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 1 July 2026

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