ice dwarf

English

Noun

ice dwarf (plural ice dwarfs)

1. (astronomy) An icy planetoid: an astronomical object, such as Pluto, Sedna or (for some authors) Ceres that is large enough to be a world and contains more ice than a typical asteroid.
   • 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Maisuth, Ondeste System:

     Farthest from the dim red dwarf Ondeste, the ice dwarf Maisuth has attracted no interest beyond a cursory flyby by automated probe in 1874. No significant resources were noted.

2. (astronomy) A centaur or transneptunian object.
3. (astronomy) An astronomical object that is larger than the core of a typical comet and icier than a typical asteroid.

Synonyms

• dwarf planet