quasar

noun

qua·​sar ˈkwā-ˌzär How to pronounce quasar (audio)
also -ˌsär
Synonyms of quasarnext
: a region at the center of a galaxy that produces an extremely large amount of radiation

Examples of quasar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Turnshek’s research as an astronomer has primarily focused on galaxy formation and quasars, the luminous cores of distant, ancient galaxies. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 Recent surveys have continued discovering quasars that formed less than a billion years after the Big Bang, helping astronomers understand how the earliest supermassive black holes grew so quickly. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 To uncover them, the research team began with a catalog of roughly 800,000 quasars identified by DESI and used a machine-learning model to search for subtle signatures of gravitational lensing. — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 31 July 2026 But now, the European Space Agency's Euclid Space Telescope has identified a clutch of primordial quasars, dating to some 13 billion years ago—putting them among the oldest of these objects ever found in the universe. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for quasar

Word History

Etymology

quasi-stellar

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quasar was in 1964

Browse Nearby Words

quas
quasar
quash
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quasar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quasar. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

quasar

noun
qua·​sar ˈkwā-ˌzär How to pronounce quasar (audio)
also -ˌsär
: any of the very distant starlike heavenly objects that give off very strong blue and ultraviolet light and powerful radio waves

More from Merriam-Webster on quasar

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for quasar

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quasar

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