sunspot

noun

sun·​spot ˈsən-ˌspät How to pronounce sunspot (audio)
: any of the dark spots that appear at times on the sun's surface and are usually visible only through a telescope

Examples of sunspot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The intense solar flare originated from sunspot region AR4046 and was accompanied by a spectacular filament eruption and coronal mass ejection (CME) — an expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun. Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2025 While sunspots are in many ways the opposite of coronal holes, this is still good news for those after a glimpse of the northern lights—as sunspots are known to release both solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can trigger stunning aurora here on Earth. Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025 Each sunspot is home to a smaller magnetic field—although sunspots themselves are often the size of Earth. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 30 Dec. 2024 When solar cycle activity picks up sunspots appear as black areas on the sun's surface. Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sunspot

Word History

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sunspot was in 1676

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Cite this Entry

“Sunspot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunspot. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

sunspot

noun
sun·​spot -ˌspät How to pronounce sunspot (audio)
: one of the dark spots that appear from time to time on the sun's surface and are usually visible only through a telescope

More from Merriam-Webster on sunspot

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