Nebular hypothesis

Nebular hypothesis
Nebular Neb"u*lar, a. Of or pertaining to nebul[ae]; of the nature of, or resembling, a nebula. [1913 Webster]

{Nebular hypothesis}, an hypothesis to explain the process of formation of the stars and planets, presented in various forms by Kant, Herschel, Laplace, and others. As formed by Laplace, it supposed the matter of the solar system to have existed originally in the form of a vast, diffused, revolving nebula, which, gradually cooling and contracting, threw off, in obedience to mechanical and physical laws, succesive rings of matter, from which subsequently, by the same laws, were produced the several planets, satellites, and other bodies of the system. The phrase may indicate any hypothesis according to which the stars or the bodies of the solar system have been evolved from a widely diffused nebulous form of matter. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Nebular hypothesis — Hypothesis Hy*poth e*sis, n.; pl. {Hypotheses}. [NL., fr. Gr. ? foundation, supposition, fr. ? to place under, ? under + ? to put. See {Hypo }, {Thesis}.] 1. A supposition; a proposition or principle which is supposed or taken for granted, in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • nebular hypothesis — n. any of several hypotheses about the origin of the solar system, based on the theory that the sun and the planets formed at about the same time from a nebula …   English World dictionary

  • Nebular hypothesis — Star formation Interstellar medium Molecular cloud …   Wikipedia

  • nebular hypothesis — Astron. the theory that the solar system evolved from a mass of nebular matter: prominent in the 19th century following its precise formulation by Laplace. [1830 40] * * * …   Universalium

  • nebular hypothesis — neb′ular hypoth′esis n. astron. the theory that the solar system evolved from a mass of nebular matter • Etymology: 1830–40 …   From formal English to slang

  • nebular hypothesis — noun Date: 1837 a hypothesis in astronomy: the solar system has evolved from a hot gaseous nebula …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS —    the theory that the sun and planets with their satellites in the solar system were originally one mass of nebulous matter which, gradually cooling and contracting, under violent revolution resolved itself into separate revolving orbs …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • nebular hypothesis — /ˈnɛbjələ haɪˌpɒθəsəs/ (say nebyuhluh huy.pothuhsuhs) noun the theory that the solar system evolved from a mass of nebulous matter (a theory prominent in the 19th century following its precise formulation by Pierre Simon Laplace, 1749–1827,… …  

  • nebular hypothesis — noun (cosmology) the theory that the solar system evolved from a hot gaseous nebula • Topics: ↑cosmology, ↑cosmogony, ↑cosmogeny • Hypernyms: ↑scientific theory …   Useful english dictionary

  • Nebular — Neb u*lar, a. Of or pertaining to nebul[ae]; of the nature of, or resembling, a nebula. [1913 Webster] {Nebular hypothesis}, an hypothesis to explain the process of formation of the stars and planets, presented in various forms by Kant, Herschel …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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