Meaning & use
supernova
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
A powerful explosion of a dying star that briefly shines brighter than an entire galaxy.
Grammar: Countable; plural is 'supernovae' or 'supernovas'.
Patterns
- a supernova explodes
- observe a supernova
- a supernova remnant
When a massive star runs out of fuel, it can explode as a supernova.
The supernova was visible in the night sky for weeks.
Astronomers detected a supernova in a distant galaxy.
Word forms
| plural | supernovae |
|---|---|
| plural | supernovas |
Common combinations
- go supernova
- The star will eventually go supernova.
- supernova explosion
- The supernova explosion released enormous energy.
- supernova remnant
- The supernova remnant is still expanding.
- observe a supernova
- Scientists observed a supernova in a nearby galaxy.
Word family
- supernova noun
- The explosion itself.
Commonly confused: supernova or nova? supernova or neutron star?
supernova vs nova
A nova is a much smaller explosion on the surface of a star; a supernova is far more powerful and can destroy the star.
supernova vs neutron star
A neutron star is what may remain after a supernova; it is not the explosion itself.
Practice
A ______ can briefly outshine an entire galaxy.
Choose one answer.
A supernova is the only one powerful enough to outshine a galaxy. A nova is much dimmer, and meteors and comets are much smaller objects in our solar system.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “supernova”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.