noun
pulsar
Pulsar (noun) means a spinning neutron star that sends out regular bursts of radio waves, detected on Earth as rapid pulses. Example: “Astronomers first detected a pulsar in 1967.”
noun
1
A spinning neutron star that sends out regular bursts of radio waves, detected on Earth as rapid pulses.
"Astronomers first detected a pulsar in 1967."
"The pulsar spins hundreds of times per second."
How to use pulsar
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dead, super-dense star that flashes radio signals like a lighthouse as it spins.
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Word forms
- Plural
- pulsars
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Astronomers first detected a _____ in 1967.
Etymology
A blend of "pulsating" and "star," coined in the late 1960s after astronomers Antony Hewish and Jocelyn Bell discovered the first one.
Frequently asked questions
What does “pulsar” mean?
The word “pulsar” means a spinning neutron star that sends out regular bursts of radio waves, detected on Earth as rapid pulses. In plain terms, a dead, super-dense star that flashes radio signals like a lighthouse as it spins.
How do you use “pulsar” in a sentence?
Here is “pulsar” used in a sentence: “Astronomers first detected a pulsar in 1967.”
What part of speech is “pulsar”?
“Pulsar” is a noun.
Where does the word “pulsar” come from?
The word “pulsar” dates back to around 1960. A blend of "pulsating" and "star," coined in the late 1960s after astronomers Antony Hewish and Jocelyn Bell discovered the first one.
