The spelling of the word "Pluto" originates from Greek mythology, where Pluto was the god of the underworld. The word is spelled phonetically as /ˈpluː.təʊ/ in IPA transcription. It starts with the plosive sound /p/, which is followed by the long vowel /u:/ pronounced as "oo" in "moon." The third sound is a dental fricative /t/, and the fourth sound is a schwa /ə/. Finally, the word ends with an unaspirated voiceless alveolar stop /t/ pronounced softly. This spelling represents the pronunciation of the word "Pluto" in Received Pronunciation English.
Pluto is the name of a celestial object, initially recognized as the ninth and farthest planet from the Sun in the solar system. However, in 2006, it was reclassified as a "dwarf planet" by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) due to the discovery of several similar celestial bodies in the same region of space.
With a diameter of approximately 2370 kilometers, Pluto is smaller than the Earth's Moon. It is primarily composed of rock and ice, and its surface is covered in frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. The planet has a reddish-brown coloration, possibly due to the presence of tholins, complex organic compounds formed by interactions between solar radiation and Pluto's atmosphere.
Pluto has a highly eccentric and tilted orbit compared to the other planets in the solar system, with its distance from the Sun varying significantly over time. It takes approximately 248 Earth years for Pluto to complete a single orbit around the Sun.
Named after the Roman god of the underworld, Pluto is located in the outermost reaches of the solar system's Kuiper Belt, a region containing numerous icy bodies. Although it does not meet the IAU's criteria to be officially considered a planet, Pluto remains of great interest to astronomers and researchers, as its study provides insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system.
In the anc. myth. of the Greeks and Latins, the king of the Lower World, the husband of Proserpine, and the brother of Jupiter and Neptune.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "Pluto" originates from classical mythology. In Greek mythology, Pluto (Ploutōn) is the god of the underworld. The name "Pluto" is derived from the Greek word "ploutos", meaning "wealth" or "riches". In Roman mythology, Pluto is equivalent to the god Hades, ruler of the underworld. The name "Pluto" was later used to refer to the planet discovered in the solar system, named so due to its relative distance from the sun and the darkness associated with the underworld.