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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
As the white dwarf takes stellar material from the red giant, a flash of nuclear fusion is ignited, launching a nova outburst, according to the outlet.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 27 May 2024
As the two orbit each other, the intense gravity of the white dwarf pulls gas off the red giant star.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 26 May 2024
The phenomenon occurs when a white dwarf and red giant star orbit each other.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
Astronomically, Arcturus is considered a bloated red giant star nearing the end of its life.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 May 2024
As a red giant, Arcturus is at the end of its life and will eventually transform into a planetary nebula.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Chicago South Side native Mari Zavala raised her eyes at the shining red giant that spits out packets of ketchup with a slam of your hand.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
Some stars become red giants as energy from a hotter core drives expansion.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
As a red giant, the sun will likely evaporate the solar system’s inner planets such as Mercury and Venus, although Earth’s fate remains unclear, according to NASA.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024
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 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
red giant
noun
: a very large star with a relatively low surface temperature
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for red giant
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