gravastar

G2R1A1V4A1S1T1A1R1

noun

A proposed alternative to black holes that is more consistent with quantum mechanics.

Scrabble 13

Meanings

noungravastar (plural gravastars)

plural gravastars

  1. astronomyA proposed alternative to black holes that is more consistent with quantum mechanics.
    1 more example

    These dark objects do not have an event horizon, and there is no singularity at their center, as is the case with classical black hole solutions in general relativity. In the gravastar, the quantum physics of the baryonic matter at the shell or crust surrounding the interior vacuum prevents the formation of a general relativity event horizon.

    2020, John W. Moffat, The Shadow of the Black Hole, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 35

Origin

Blend of gravitational + vacuum + star, first hypothesized in 2001.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish grawastar
  • grawastarobject hypothesized as an alternative to the black hole theory
Cite this entry
APA

gravastar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gravastar

MLA

“gravastar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gravastar. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gravastar,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gravastar.

Source: gravastar on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.