W-R star

noun Astronomy.

Wolf-Rayet star.

Definition for w-r star (2 of 2)

Wolf-Rayet star
[ woo lf-rahy-ey; French vawlf-ra-ye ]
/ ˈwʊlf raɪˈeɪ; French vɔlf raˈyɛ /

noun

a very hot (35,000–100,000 K) and luminous star in the early stages of evolution, with broad emission lines in its spectrum.
Also called W-R star.

Origin of Wolf-Rayet star

1885–90; after French astronomers Charles J. E. Wolf (1827–1918) and Georges Rayet (1839–1906)

British Dictionary definitions for w-r star

Wolf-Rayet star
/ (ˈwʊlfˈreɪət) /

noun

any of a small class of very hot intensely luminous stars surrounded by a rapidly expanding envelope of gas

Word Origin for Wolf-Rayet star

C19: named after Charles Wolf (1827–1918) and Georges Rayet (1839–1906), French astronomers