Jupiter

American  

[joo-pi-ter] / ˈdʒu pɪ tər /

noun

1. Also called Jove.  the supreme deity of the ancient Romans: the god of the heavens and of weather.

2. Astronomy. the planet fifth in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 88,729 miles (142,796 km), a mean distance from the sun of 483.6 million miles (778.3 million km), a period of revolution of 11.86 years, and at least 14 moons. It is the largest planet in the solar system.

3. Military. a medium-range U.S. ballistic missile of the 1950s, powered by a single liquid-fueled rocket engine.

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Jupiter ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒuːpɪtə /

noun

1. Greek counterpart: Zeus.  (in Roman tradition) the king and ruler of the Olympian gods

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Jupiter ² British  

/ ˈdʒuːpɪtə /

noun

1. the largest of the planets and the fifth from the sun. It has 67 satellites and is surrounded by a transient planar ring system consisting of dust particles. Mean distance from sun: 778 million km; period of revolution around sun: 11.86 years; period of axial rotation: 9.83 hours; diameter and mass: 11.2 and 317.9 times that of earth respectively See Galilean satellite

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Jupiter Scientific  

/ jo̅o̅′pĭ-tər /

1. The fifth planet from the Sun and the largest, with a diameter about 11 times that of Earth. Jupiter is a gas giant made up mostly of hydrogen and helium. It turns on its axis faster than any other planet in the solar system, taking less than ten hours to complete one rotation; this rapid rotation draws its atmospheric clouds into distinct belts parallel to its equator. Jupiter has more known moons by far than any other planet in the solar system—as many as 63, with new ones being discovered regularly in recent years—and it has a faint ring system that was unknown until 1979, when the Voyager space probe investigated the planet. A persistent anticyclonic storm known as the Great Red Spot is Jupiter's most prominent feature.

2. See Table at solar system

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Jupiter ¹ Cultural  

1. In astronomy, the largest planet in the solar system; the fifth major planet from the sun. Jupiter is largely composed of gas es. It is named after the ruler of the Roman gods (see under “Mythology and Folklore”). Jupiter is visible from Earth.

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Jupiter ² Cultural  

1. The Roman name of Zeus, the most powerful of the gods of classical mythology.

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The fifth and largest planet from the sun (the Earth is third) is named Jupiter.

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How does jupiter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Jupiter vs. Zeus

Example Sentences

Scientists now estimate the planet contains only about five times more oxygen and carbon than Jupiter, making it far more similar to the giant planet in our own solar system than previously believed.

From Science Daily • May 27, 2026

The maneuver sends Psyche on a direct route toward its target in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

In our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn are extremely cold because they orbit far from the sun.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Wong noted there is still uncertainty in the comparison because Jupiter and Earth lightning were measured at different radio wavelengths.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

The moons were named by him the ‘Medician stars’, in honour of Cosimo, but are known to astronomers today as the Galilean satellites of Jupiter.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

• earth