The story
Named after American science fiction writer Larry Niven, who wrote the famous science-fiction novel Ringworld that popularized the idea.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Niven ring
Today it means: A solid ring type Dyson ring around a star, capable of containing an interior surface that could be terraformed into a habitat with an inner ring of occultation panels to provide a day-night cycle. Full definition →