Definition of protoplanet in English:
protoplanet
noun ˈprəʊtəʊˌplanɪtˈprōdōˌplanit
Astronomy A large body of matter in orbit around the sun or a star and thought to be developing into a planet.
this analysis supported the view that the moon originated from a glancing collision between the earth and another protoplanet 4,500 million years ago
Example sentencesExamples
- The protoplanet candidate orbits about 70 times further from its star than Earth does from the Sun.
- It isn't clear how the latest suspected protoplanet is being formed.
- There are indications that the surroundings of the protoplanet are potentially heated up by the formation process.
- Learning more about the protoplanet won't be fast or easy.
- Many scientists think it's a protoplanet left over from the solar system's first few million years.
Origin
1940s: from proto- + planet.