regolith

noun

reg·​o·​lith ˈre-gə-ˌlith How to pronounce regolith (audio)
: unconsolidated residual or transported material that overlies the solid rock on the earth, moon, or a planet

Examples of regolith in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Blue Ghost is carrying 10 NASA payloads, which will study the other lunar radiation environment, the lunar regolith and the solar wind, among other tasks. Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025 Vannier explained that spectroscopy, the study of how light is absorbed and reflected by various materials, can suggest whether regolith might support crops. Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 The regolith is composed of a variety of minerals, many of which contain oxygen, typically the heavier component of rocket fuel. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 17 Feb. 2025 In which case, the determined billionaires behind SpaceX and Blue Origin might not wait around for NASA, and the next moon boots in the regolith might stamp a corporate logo in the dust. IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2019 See All Example Sentences for regolith

Word History

Etymology

Greek rhēgos blanket + English -lith; akin to Greek rhezein to dye — more at raga

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of regolith was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Regolith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regolith. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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