white dwarf

noun

plural white dwarfs
: a small hot whitish star of low intrinsic brightness usually with a mass approximately equal to that of the sun but with a density many times larger

Examples of white dwarf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In recent years, astronomers analyzing data from the European Space Agency's Gaia spacecraft identified a handful of white dwarfs hurtling through the Milky Way at breakneck speeds of up to 1,240 miles per second (2,000 kilometers per second). Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025 In the past, scientists have studied dark matter by observing objects like the sun, neutron stars, and white dwarfs. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2025 What’s left behind is a massive white dwarf with a hydrogen-helium layer that’s 10 billion times thinner than usual, allowing detectable carbon to reach the surface. Andrew Paul Aug 6, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2025 The sun blows off its outer layers and the core is exposed to space, transforming into what astronomers call a white dwarf. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for white dwarf

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of white dwarf was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“White dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white%20dwarf. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

white dwarf

noun
: a small whitish star of low brightness that has a mass approximately equal to that of the sun but that is many times more dense

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