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Glite Dictionary
Edgeworth-Kuiper belt

Edgeworth-Kuiper belt

9.9
A ring of small icy objects beyond Neptune that orbit the Sun and sometimes become comets
  • noun
  • /ˈɛdʒwɜrθ ˈkaɪpər bɛlt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cinturón de Edgeworth-Kuiper
  • The Edgeworth-Kuiper belt is located beyond the orbit of Neptune.

Examples

  • Many comets originate from the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt.

  • The Edgeworth-Kuiper belt is home to many icy minor planets orbiting our Sun.

  • Astronomers believe Pluto is one of the largest objects in the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt.

  • The study of the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt has helped scientists understand the formation of the solar system.

  • Astronomers believe Pluto is one of the largest objects in the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt.

  • The Edgeworth-Kuiper belt is home to many icy minor planets orbiting our Sun.

  • Many comets originate from the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt.

Synonyms

Kuiper belt
vsEdgeworth-Kuiper belt
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A region of space beyond Neptune with many small icy objects and dwarf planets

focuses on a disk shape and being the source of many comets

Surface Forms

Edgeworth-Kuiper belt singular
Edgeworth-Kuiper belts plural

Morphology

Edgeworth-Kuiper + belt

The compound includes a proper name ('Edgeworth-Kuiper') that carries no compositional lexical meaning, while 'belt' does indicate a band or disk-like region; a B1 learner who knows 'belt' could infer a band-shaped area but would not deduce the astronomical specifics (bodies beyond Neptune, source of comets) from the constituents alone. Because part of the meaning (shape as a band) is transparent but the essential domain-specific information is not recoverable without prior exposure, this is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

Edgeworth-Kuiper belt brings to mind a wide belt of small icy worlds that circle the Sun beyond Neptune. It is named after the astronomers Edgeworth and Kuiper, who suggested there might be many distant objects there, so today the name means the group of small bodies beyond Neptune that can become comets.