Venus zone

noun

A theoretical orbital zone around a star that will result in an Earth-like planet existing in an orbit in the zone having a runaway greenhouse effect, similar to that found on Venus in our Solar System. The inner edge of the zone is where solar radiation is intense enough to strip the atmosphere of a planet away. The outer edge is where solar radiation is insufficient to power a runaway greenhouse.

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Meanings

nounVenus zone (plural Venus zones)

plural Venus zones

  1. A theoretical orbital zone around a star that will result in an Earth-like planet existing in an orbit in the zone having a runaway greenhouse effect, similar to that found on Venus in our Solar System. The inner edge of the zone is where solar radiation is intense enough to strip the atmosphere of a planet away. The outer edge is where solar radiation is insufficient to power a runaway greenhouse.

Origin

From Venus (“the planet”) + zone, from being the zone where a Venus-like planet will acquire a Venus-like climate.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Venus zone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Venus%20zone

MLA

“Venus zone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Venus%20zone. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Venus zone,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Venus%20zone.

Source: Venus zone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.