quasar
UK[ˈkweɪ.zɑːr]US[ˈkweɪ.zɑːr]
n
A very bright object at the center of a distant galaxy, powered by a supermassive black hole.
Etymology
The word 'quasar' is a 20th-century portmanteau, a condensed form of the descriptive phrase "quasi-stellar radio source." Astronomers in the 1960s coined the term to label these newly discovered, intensely luminous celestial objects which appeared star-like ("stellar") in optical telescopes but were identified as powerful emitters of radio waves. The "quasi-" prefix denotes their ambiguous, not-quite-stellar nature. Thus, the term's logic is purely descriptive, born from the observational characteristics that defined this extraordinary class of active galactic nuclei.
Analysis
This is a modern scientific coinage, not composed of productive English morphemes. It is a blend of the initial letters from the phrase "quasi-stellar radio source."
Examples
The immense energy output of a quasar can outshine its entire host galaxy.
Scientists study quasars to understand the early universe and the growth of supermassive black holes.
The discovery of quasars revolutionized our understanding of galactic evolution.