Schwarzschild radius

noun

Schwarz·​schild radius

ˈshwȯrtˌshild-,

ˈs(h)wȯrtsˌchīld-;

ˈshvärtˌshilt-

: the radius of the spherical boundary within which a given mass (as of a star) must collapse to become a black hole

also : the distance of the event horizon from the center of a black hole

Word History

Etymology

after Karl Schwarzschild †1916 German astronomer

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!