exoplanet

noun

exo·​plan·​et ˈek-sō-ˌpla-nət How to pronounce exoplanet (audio)
ˌek-sō-ˈpla-
: a planet orbiting a star that is not our sun

Examples of exoplanet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Roman will investigate dark energy, map dark matter, and conduct the largest exoplanet census, discovering around 100,000 exoplanets, including rogue planets. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The technique is even sensitive to exoplanets with Earth-like dimensions, potentially allowing astronomers to suss out whether such objects are, galactically speaking, common or rare. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2026 Spanning 42 feet long and more than 14 feet wide, the observatory is designed to explore the outer solar system and beyond – prying into previously unobservable areas of the universe to study dark energy and search for exoplanets. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 The exoplanet orbits the star HD 176071 located around 335 light-years away, and is about two and a half times the size of Earth, but has about eight and a half times the mass of our planet. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exoplanet

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exoplanet was in 1992

Rhymes for exoplanet

See All Rhymes for exoplanet

Browse Nearby Words

exophthalmos
exoplanet
exoplasm
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exoplanet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exoplanet. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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