English Reference

Word

astrophysics

Phoneticsas·tro·physics

US/ˌæstɹoʊˈfɪzɪks/

UK/ˌæstɹəfˈɪzɪks/

Definition

n. the study of the physical processes that happen in space. It looks at things like stars, planets, and galaxies to understand how they work.

n. the branch of astronomy that applies the laws of physics to the study of celestial objects and phenomena.

Examples

“She wants to study astrophysics at university.”

“The university offers a specialized degree in astrophysics for students interested in the physics of the universe.”

“Modern astrophysics relies heavily on high-powered telescopes and complex computer models to simulate the behavior of black holes and the expansion of the universe.”

Examples

simple

“She wants to study astrophysics at university.”

contextual

“The university offers a specialized degree in astrophysics for students interested in the physics of the universe.”

complex

“Modern astrophysics relies heavily on high-powered telescopes and complex computer models to simulate the behavior of black holes and the expansion of the universe.”

Real-World Examples

Common in science writing

“The temperature variations in different regions of the Sun defy the laws of physics, says leading Indian solar astrophysicist Prof R Ramesh of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) who led the study.”
BBC News · 14 Aug 2026
“Britain and its empire made a distinctive contribution to understanding the heavens, turning eclipse expeditions into laboratories for the emerging science of astrophysics.”
The Guardian · 13 Aug 2026

Etymology

From astro- + physics.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Domains

AstronomyPhysics

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference