WD
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | White dwarf |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Sports |
WD has two meanings. It stands for White dwarf (astronomy & Space) or Withdrew (other sports).
Meanings of WD at a glance
| # | WD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | White dwarf | Science & Engineering › Astronomy & Space |
| 2 | Withdrew | Sports › Other Sports |
1. White dwarf
Science & Engineering · Astronomy & Space Abbreviations
Dense, Earth-sized remnant left when a star like the Sun runs out of fuel and sheds its outer layers. A white dwarf no longer fuses elements and slowly cools over billions of years; about 97% of stars in the Milky Way will end this way.
Example: Sirius B, the faint companion of the brightest star, is the nearest well-known WD.
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar calculated that a white dwarf cannot exceed about 1.4 solar masses, the Chandrasekhar limit, and shared the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physics. A white dwarf that gains mass from a companion can explode as a Type Ia supernova. Despite the name, older white dwarfs appear yellow or red.
2. Withdrew
Sports · Other Sports Abbreviations
Result code for a golfer or tennis player who pulled out of a tournament after it began, usually because of injury or illness.
Example: He shot 79 in the first round and then WD citing a back injury.
Golfers who withdraw after the first round may face scrutiny if they appear to be avoiding a missed cut. In tennis, a withdrawal before a match creates a walkover. Also used in schools for withdrawn courses.
Related abbreviations
More astronomy & Space abbreviations
- AGN – Active galactic nucleus
- ALMA – Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array
- AU – Astronomical unit
- BBN – Big Bang nucleosynthesis
- BH – Black hole
- CMB – Cosmic microwave background
- CME – Coronal mass ejection
- CNSA – China National Space Administration
See all 83 astronomy & Space abbreviations →