Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

pluto

Dwarf Planet

/ˈpluːtoʊ/

Definition

Pluto is a dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system beyond Neptune.

Examples

Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh.
Many people still fondly remember Pluto as the ninth planet of our solar system.
In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft made a historic flyby of Pluto.

Meaning

Originally classified as the ninth planet in the solar system, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 due to its size and the characteristics of its orbit.