kuiper belt
/ˈkaɪ.pɚ.bɛlt/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.37 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
name
A region of space between thirty and fifty astronomical units from the Sun, roughly confined within a thick band around the ecliptic of the Solar System, and populated by many thousands of trans-Neptunian objects.
noun
A type of asteroid belt, expected to exist in the outer regions of planetary systems, that forms an annular belt or disc around the system's center, lies beyond the region of major-planet formation, and at its outer extent may reach the inner region of an Oort cloud.
name
Alternative letter-case form of Kuiper belt.
Example Sentences
- "Deep searches for regular satellites around Kuiper belt objects are difficult due to observational limitations, but Haumea is one of the few for which sufficient data exist."
Etymology
Named after the Dutch astronomer Gerard Kuiper (1905–1973), who conjectured the existence of a version of the belt in 1951.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkaɪ.pɚ.bɛlt/
- British English: /ˈkaɪ.pə(ɹ).bɛlt/
Inflected Forms
the Kuiper belt (canonical)
Kuiper belts (plural)
Phrases
Kuiper belt environment
Kuiper belt object