Oort cloud

[ awrt-kloud, ohrt ]

/ ˈɔrt ˌklaʊd, oʊrt /

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noun Astronomy.

a region of our solar system far beyond the orbit of Pluto, in which billions of comets move in nearly circular orbits unless one is pulled into a highly eccentric elliptical orbit by a passing star.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Compare Kuiper belt.

Origin of Oort cloud

First recorded in 1975–80; after Dutch astronomer Jan Hendrik Oort (1900–1992), who proposed its existence

Words nearby Oort cloud

oophorectomy, oophoritis, oophyte, oops, Oort, Oort cloud, oory, oose, oosperm, oosphere, oospore

How to use Oort cloud in a sentence

(Somewhere, on another cloud, live gigabytes of photos from these very parties).
I’m a Digital Hoarder|Lizzie Crocker|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An innovative gift is the Qardioarm, a blood pressure monitor that records readings and uploads them to the cloud.
Nothing Says I Love You Like Data|The Daily Beast|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By Alex Orlov for Life by DailyBurn Do dark, chilly days make your mood cloud over this time each year?
9 Ways to Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder|DailyBurn|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The FSLN-controlled legislative assembly approved the mega-project under a cloud of secrecy in a record seven days.
China’s Nicaragua Canal Could Spark a New Central America Revolution|Nina Lakhani|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

People were singing the national anthem as the whole front of the National Palace was obscured by a smoke cloud.
Mexican Protesters Look to Start a New Revolution|Jason McGahan|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For several months he remained under a political cloud, charged with incompetency to quell the Philippine Rebellion.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Bacteria, when present in great numbers, give a uniform cloud which cannot be removed by ordinary filtration.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Two years later this promising recruit, having fallen foul of the military authorities, had to leave the service under a cloud.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
The menace of a thunder-cloud approached as in his childhood's dream; disaster lurked behind the quiet outer show.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

Scientific definitions for Oort cloud

Oort cloud

[ ôrt ]

A sphere-shaped mass of more than 100 billion comets that makes up the outer edge of the solar system, surrounding the Kuiper belt and the planets. Some comets from this area are drawn into the inner solar system by passing stars and other forces and take more than 200 years to make one complete orbit of the Sun. Compare Kuiper belt.