white dwarf

noun

plural white dwarfs
Synonyms of white dwarfnext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What immediately stood out about WD 1856 b was how close its orbit is to its white dwarf host. Robert Lea, Space.com, 2 July 2026 The planet either warmed up while engulfed during the red giant phase, or began heating as gravity pulled it closer to the resultant white dwarf. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 July 2026 Roughly five billion years from now, the sun will follow the same path as this star, expanding into a red giant before shrinking into a white dwarf. Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 1 July 2026 Gas flowing from the expanding red giant gradually accumulates on the white dwarf until conditions become extreme enough to ignite a runaway nuclear reaction. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“White dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white%20dwarf. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on white dwarf

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster