protoplanetary disk
noun
a disk composed of dust and gas whirling around a relatively young star and thought to be the precursor of a planetary system.
protoplanetary disks
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pluralof protoplanetary disk.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Such conditions are common in protoplanetary disks, the rotating clouds of gas and dust that surround young stars and eventually give rise to planets.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 1, 2026
These protoplanetary disks slowly congealed into planets — so slowly, in fact, that astronomers speculated all of the protoplanetary disks that once existed have since blown away.
From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2024
Hubble studied HP Tau as part of an investigation into protoplanetary disks, the disks of material around stars that coalesce into planets over millions of years.
From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024
Newborn stars are typically surrounded by spinning rings of dust and gas known as protoplanetary disks, which provide the raw materials necessary for planets to take shape.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 8, 2024
These disks are different than protoplanetary disks, which hold material that later gloms together to form planets.
From Scientific American ● May 9, 2023
