Dione

1 of 2

noun

Di·​o·​ne ˌdī-ˈō-nē How to pronounce Dione (audio)
astronomy
: the fourth largest satellite of Saturn with a diameter of approximately 700 miles (1120 km)
Three other new Saturnian moons have been identified in recent years by spacecraft and ground-based telescopes. Two of them are especially intriguing because they lie in essentially the same orbit about 94,000 miles from the planet. The third is a small, asteroid-size satellite moving along in the same orbit much farther ahead of the larger moon, Dione, 234,000 miles from Saturn.John Noble Wilford, New York Times, 29 Oct. 1980

-dione

2 of 2

noun suffix

-di·​one
ˈdīˌōn
plural -s
: chemical compound containing two carbonyl groups
in names of diketones or di-oxo compounds that are not true diketones
butanedione
2,6-piperidine-dione

Word History

Etymology

Noun suffix

International Scientific Vocabulary di- + -one

First Known Use

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dione was in 1879

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Dione

Cite this Entry

“Dione.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dione. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!