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red giant
noun
: a star that has low surface temperature and a diameter that is large relative to the sun
Examples of red giant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other stars at more advanced stages of their life cycles could eat the Sun for breakfast, spit it back up, and eat it again – which is basically what one red giant has been seen doing now.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 12 Sep. 2024
The images show the surface of the star R. Doradus, a red giant star 180 light-years away in the Dorado constellation.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 11 Sep. 2024
These are a type of red giant whose atmosphere contains a large amount of carbon and carbon compounds that gives them a distinctive spectrum and a characteristic brightness.
—Bydaniel Clery, science.org, 13 Aug. 2024
Two stars, a red giant star and a white dwarf, orbit each other.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for red giant
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'red giant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1929, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near red giant
Cite this Entry
“Red giant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20giant. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
red giant
noun
: a very large star with a relatively low surface temperature
More from Merriam-Webster on red giant
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for red giant
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