Makemake

noun

Ma·​ke·​ma·​ke ˌmä-kā-ˈmä-kā 

astronomy

: a dwarf planet that orbits within the Kuiper belt with a mean distance from the sun of 46 astronomical units (6.85 billion kilometers) and a diameter of approximately 930 miles (1,500 kilometers)

As well as being a remarkable moon in its own right, Triton may be giving us a hazy picture of all the unexplored dwarf planets—not just Pluto, but also Eris, Makemake, Haumea and probably dozens more that wander in the outer darkness of the solar system.

—New Scientist, 27 Mar. 2010

Word History

First Known Use

2008, in the meaning defined above

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