neptune
/'neptju:n/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Proper noun:
- The eighth planet from the Sun: A giant planet in our solar system, characterized as an ice giant with a ring system composed of ice particles and dust. Its existence was mathematically predicted before being visually confirmed.
- (Roman mythology) The god of the sea: The Roman deity who rules over all freshwater and the sea, identified as the counterpart to the Greek god Poseidon.
Usage Examples
Proper noun (Astronomy):
- Neptune is the windiest planet in our solar system.
- Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited Neptune.
- Neptune's blue color comes from methane in its atmosphere.
Proper noun (Mythology):
- In Roman myths, Neptune is often depicted with a trident.
- The sailors prayed to Neptune for a safe voyage across the ocean.
Advanced Usage
- "to be a Neptune of something": (Figurative, rare) To be a dominant ruler or master of a particular domain, analogous to the god's rule over the sea.
- In the world of classical music, he was a Neptune of the piano.
- Capitalization: The word is always capitalized, whether referring to the planet or the god.
Variants and Related Words
- Neptunian (adj): Pertaining to the planet Neptune or the god Neptune.
- Neptunian winds can reach supersonic speeds.
- The temple had Neptunian symbols carved into its walls.
- Poseidon (n): The Greek equivalent of the Roman god Neptune.
Synonyms
- (For the planet): The Blue Planet, ice giant. (Note: "The Blue Planet" is more commonly used for Earth, but is sometimes a poetic reference for Neptune).
- (For the god): God of the sea, ruler of the deep.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "To worship Neptune": (Historical/Figurative) To be a sailor or to spend one's life at sea.
- For forty years, he worshipped Neptune, sailing every ocean.
- "Neptune's domain": A poetic term for the sea or ocean.
- The ship vanished into Neptune's domain during the storm.
Noun
- a giant planet with a ring of ice particles; the 8th planet from the sun is the most remote of the gas giants
- the existence of Neptune was predicted from perturbations in the orbit of Uranus and it was then identified in 1846
- (Roman mythology) god of the sea; counterpart of Greek Poseidon