millinova

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noun

A transient astronomical event, where a bright explosion occurs accompanied by a burst of soft X-rays, becoming a transient soft X-ray source. Explosion source is as yet unidentified, though thought to be produced by white dwarfs, similarly to classical nova, dwarf nova, type Ia supernova, though less powerful. Millinova can be recurrent.

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Meanings

nounmillinova (plural millinovas or millinovae)

plural millinovas · plural millinovae

  1. astronomyA transient astronomical event, where a bright explosion occurs accompanied by a burst of soft X-rays, becoming a transient soft X-ray source. Explosion source is as yet unidentified, though thought to be produced by white dwarfs, similarly to classical nova, dwarf nova, type Ia supernova, though less powerful. Millinova can be recurrent.

Origin

milli- + nova. From being a transient event akin to a nova, but much less powerful.

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Cite this entry
APA

millinova. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/millinova

MLA

“millinova.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/millinova. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “millinova,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/millinova.

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