cosmic ray

noun

: a stream of atomic nuclei of extremely penetrating character that enter the earth's atmosphere from outer space at speeds approaching that of light

Examples of cosmic ray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For the last couple of decades, NASA has devoted Voyager's instruments to studying cosmic rays, the magnetic field, and the plasma environment in interstellar space. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 6 Feb. 2024 In the 17th frame of backward-facing time-lapse, a small black speck appears briefly before disappearing, which is a result of a cosmic ray hitting the camera sensor, according to NASA. Jon Michael Raasch Fox News, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2024 But in the comics, the Fantastic Four are astronauts who are remade into superheroes after they’re exposed to cosmic rays in space. Variety, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 In the comics, the Fantastic Four centers around a group of astronauts who get exposed to cosmic rays in space and gain superhero abilities. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024 Scientists in Utah have detected the second-most energetic cosmic ray ever seen. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023 There's another type of radiation, galactic cosmic rays, that even a lot of water won't block. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2023 Two years later Carl Anderson, of the California Institute of Technology, detected positrons in cosmic ray showers, a discovery that earned him a Nobel Prize in Physics. Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 27 Sep. 2023 Primary cosmic ray particles are all the particles that hit our magnetosphere, and secondary cosmic ray particles are the ones that actually make it through. Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 22 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cosmic ray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cosmic ray was in 1925

Dictionary Entries Near cosmic ray

Cite this Entry

“Cosmic ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmic%20ray. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cosmic ray

noun
: a stream of atomic nuclei of extremely penetrating character that enter the earth's atmosphere from outer space at speeds approaching that of light

More from Merriam-Webster on cosmic ray

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