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

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 notes

In plain EnglishA dead, super-dense star that flashes radio signals like a lighthouse as it spins.

Easily confused with

quasar →

Word forms

pulsars plural

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Fill the gap

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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.

· First attested 1960

Class of 1960 pulsar joined the language around 1960.

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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.