solar system

noun

: the sun together with the group of celestial bodies that are held by its attraction and revolve around it
also : a similar system centered on another star

Examples of solar system in a Sentence

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The latter scope which includes the instruments HARPS (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher) and NIRPS (Near Infra Red Planet Searcher), which astronomers use to find and study exoplanets — worlds outside of our solar system. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026 At the peak of the cycle, the sun blasts out more solar flares, as well as coronal mass ejections, immense explosions of material that scream outward into the solar system. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026 The second-generation planet could be an indicator of the future of our solar system. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026 The 2026 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded for the detection of neutrinos created in astrophysical sources, far away from the solar system. — Doug Cowen, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for solar system

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1704, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of solar system was circa 1704

Rhymes for solar system

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Browse Nearby Words

solar still
solar system
solar telegraph
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Cite this Entry

“Solar system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solar%20system. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

solar system

noun
: a star with the group of heavenly bodies that revolve around it
especially : the sun with the planets, moons, asteroids, and comets that orbit it

More from Merriam-Webster on solar system

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about solar system

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