gas giant

[ gas-jahy-uhnt ]

/ ˈgæs ˌdʒaɪ ənt /

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noun Astronomy.

a giant planet composed mostly of hydrogen and helium: the two gas giants in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, are sometimes called failed stars because their composition is similar to that of stars, but this is largely considered misleading, as gas giants, unlike brown dwarfs, do not form as stars do.Compare ice giant.

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Origin of gas giant

First recorded in 1950–55

Words nearby gas giant

gas-fired, gas fitter, gas fitting, gas furnace, gas gangrene, gas giant, gas-guzzler, gas-guzzler tax, gash, gasholder, gashouse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gas giant in a sentence

In classic models, based on what astronomers know about Jupiter and Saturn, gas giants need to have a solid core at least ten times as massive as the Earth to gather enough gas before the disc disappears.
Spacey ‘super puffs’ are changing our understanding of how planets form|Neel Dhanesha|January 20, 2021|Popular-Science
A conjunction is a good time to reflect on our cosmic heritage, and on the long shadows cast by the gas giants.
The Sight of Jupiter and Saturn Together Is a Beautiful Thing - Facts So Romantic|Sean Raymond & Sebastiaan Krijt|December 21, 2020|Nautilus
Despite such concerns, commitments to cutting carbon emissions to net zero, largely by 2050, have in fact grown, from both countries and companies, including legacy oil and gas giants like BP and Shell.
When it comes to climate change, says Mark Carney, this financial crisis is different—and maybe better|kdunn6|October 27, 2020|Fortune
WASP-189b is a hot Jupiter planet, a gas giant similar to our own Solar System’s Jupiter, but with more extreme temperatures.
A deep-space telescope spied an exoplanet so hot it can vaporize iron|Paola Rosa-Aquino|October 5, 2020|Popular-Science

Not every gas giant in the solar system is like this, but they all also come with various other problems that would make it difficult for humans to visit up close.
Will astronauts ever visit gas giants like Jupiter?|Neel Patel|July 8, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Security officials told Agence France-Presse that the gas station manager said he had recognized the two men.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Unconfirmed reports in the French media claimed that the brothers were spotted at a gas station in northern France on Thursday.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yeah, the “Giant man-puppy” that is Gronkowski won't hold a sexual candle to the blue-eyed dreamboat.
‘A Gronking to Remember’ Speed Read: 8 Naughtiest Bits|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Total oil production figures include crude oil, natural gas liquids, and other liquid energy products.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Jan. 4|PunditFact.com|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
On top of oil, the United States produces significantly more natural gas than Saudi Arabia.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Jan. 4|PunditFact.com|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
For comparison, the gas may be passed through a test-tube containing an equal amount of distilled water.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
It is allowed to cool, and hydrogen sulphid gas is passed through it for about five minutes.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
The lazy giant was sprawling on the most comfortable of the sofas; the pair were alone in the dainty little drawing-room.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
There he was found by old Makitok, and for some time the giant and the wizard held converse together.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
You could not see the water till you got close up, and at a distance only the rows of gas jets were apparent.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for gas giant

gas giant

noun

one of the four planets in our solar system that are composed chiefly of hydrogen and helium, namely Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

Word Origin for gas giant

C20: coined by James Blish (1921–75), US science fiction writer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for gas giant

gas giant

A large, massive, low-density planet composed primarily of hydrogen, helium, methane, and ammonia in either gaseous or liquid state. Gas giants have swirling atmospheres primarily of hydrogen and helium, with no well-defined planetary surface; they are assumed to have rocky cores. They are also characterized by ring systems, although only Saturn's is readily visible from Earth. Our solar system contains four gas giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The majority of extrasolar planets discovered so far are the size of the solar system's gas giants, although they orbit their stars much more closely and may differ in composition from ours. Also called Jovian planet Compare terrestrial planet.