photosphere

noun

pho·​to·​sphere ˈfō-tə-ˌsfir How to pronounce photosphere (audio)
1
: a sphere of light or radiance
2
: the luminous surface layer of the sun or a star
photospheric
ˌfō-tə-ˈsfir-ik How to pronounce photosphere (audio)
-ˈsfer-
adjective

Examples of photosphere 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.
As a result, the matter that makes up white dwarfs is around the density of water, millions of times denser than the sun's surface, the photosphere. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026 That’s despite the sun’s visible surface — its photosphere — being much cooler. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 The imagery and time-lapse video reveal an unprecedented look at the sun’s complex and dynamic photosphere, the visible surface of the sun that exists as a thin layer of atmosphere shaped by magnetic fields and currents of fluid plasma. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026 To see them in the solar photosphere, the team pushed DKIST to its limits, zooming in on the outskirts of a sunspot and revealing dozens. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for photosphere

Word History

Etymology

photo- + -sphere; in sense 2 probably as translation of German Lichtatmosphäre

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of photosphere was in 1664

Rhymes for photosphere

See All Rhymes for photosphere

Browse Nearby Words

photoshop
photosphere
photo spread
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Photosphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photosphere. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

photosphere

noun
pho·​to·​sphere ˈfōt-ə-ˌsfi(ə)r How to pronounce photosphere (audio)
: the shining surface of the sun or a star
photospheric
ˌfōt-ə-ˈsfir-ik How to pronounce photosphere (audio)
-ˈsfer-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on photosphere

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photosphere

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