planetesimal Hear it!

planetesimal definition

plan·etesi·mal (plan′ə tes′i məl, -tez-)

noun

in various theories about the origin of the solar system, any of the small, cold masses of rock or ice that merged to form a planet

Etymology: planet + (infinit)esimal

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.