Meanings
plural green pea galaxies · alternative greenpea galaxy
- astronomyA type of galaxy, found in the local universe, that are active, undergoing high rates of star formation, which provides a green tinge, and are compact, visually appearing akin to peas. These active galaxies have strong oxygen emission lines and no active galactic nucleus (“AGN”), similar to small galaxies in the distant early universe, but unlike those in the nearby contemporary universe.
Synonyms: GP, GPG, GP galaxy, green pea, greenpea, pea, pea galaxy
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA type of galaxy, found in the local universe, that are active, undergoing high rates of star formation, which provides a green tinge, and are compact, visually appearing akin to peas. These active galaxies have strong oxygen emission lines and no active galactic nucleus (“AGN”), similar to small galaxies in the distant early universe, but unlike those in the nearby contemporary universe.
Origin
From the resemblance to the vegetable. From being a galaxy having a greenish tinge, and being small and round like a pea.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
green pea galaxy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/green%20pea%20galaxy
“green pea galaxy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/green%20pea%20galaxy. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “green pea galaxy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/green%20pea%20galaxy.
Source: green pea galaxy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.