Wolf number

noun

A measure of the number of sunspots and groups of sunspots present on the surface of the Sun.

Meanings

nounWolf number (plural Wolf numbers)

plural Wolf numbers

  1. A measure of the number of sunspots and groups of sunspots present on the surface of the Sun.

    Synonyms: sunspot number, Zürich number

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA measure of the number of sunspots and groups of sunspots present on the surface of the Sun.

Origin

The idea of compiling the information about the sunspot number from various observers originated with Rudolf Wolf in 1848 in Zürich, Switzerland.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Wolf number. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wolf%20number

MLA

“Wolf number.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wolf%20number. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Wolf number,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wolf%20number.

Source: Wolf number on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.