noun

quasar

KWAY-zah

Quasar (noun) means an extremely bright and distant celestial object, powered by a supermassive black hole, that appears starlike from Earth. Example: “Quasars are among the most luminous objects in the universe.”

noun

An extremely bright and distant celestial object, powered by a supermassive black hole, that appears starlike from Earth.

"Quasars are among the most luminous objects in the universe."

"Astronomers detected a quasar billions of light-years away."

How to use quasar

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA super-bright, distant object in deep space powered by a giant black hole.

Easily confused with

pulsar →

Word forms

quasars plural

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_____ are among the most luminous objects in the universe.

Etymology

A blend of "quasi-stellar," coined in 1964 to describe these starlike radio sources.

· First attested 1964

Class of 1964 quasar joined the language around 1964.

Higgs Malawi Tanzania

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Synonyms

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quasi-stellar radio source

Frequently asked questions

What does “quasar” mean?

The word “quasar” means an extremely bright and distant celestial object, powered by a supermassive black hole, that appears starlike from Earth. In plain terms, a super-bright, distant object in deep space powered by a giant black hole.

How do you pronounce “quasar”?

“Quasar” is pronounced KWAY-zah (/ˈkweɪ.zɑɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “quasar” in a sentence?

Here is “quasar” used in a sentence: “Quasars are among the most luminous objects in the universe.”

What part of speech is “quasar”?

“Quasar” is a noun.

Where does the word “quasar” come from?

The word “quasar” dates back to around 1964. A blend of "quasi-stellar," coined in 1964 to describe these starlike radio sources.

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Words that start with Q