[joo-pi-ter] 
| 1. | Also called Jove. the supreme deity of the ancient Romans: the god of the heavens and of weather. Compare Zeus. |
| 2. | Astronomy. the planet fifth in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 88,729 mi. (142,796 km), a mean distance from the sun of 483.6 million mi. (778.3 million km), a period of revolution of 11.86 years, and at least 14 moons. It is the largest planet in the solar system. |
| 3. | Military. a medium-range U.S. ballistic missile of the 1950s, powered by a single liquid-fueled rocket engine. |
| Ju·pi·ter (jōō'pĭ-tər) n.
[Latin Iūpiter; see dyeu- in Indo-European roots.] |
Jupiter (j 'pĭ-tər) Pronunciation Key
The fifth planet from the Sun and the largest, with a diameter about 11 times that of Earth. Jupiter is a gas giant made up mostly of hydrogen and helium. It turns on its axis faster than any other planet in the solar system, taking less than ten hours to complete one rotation; this rapid rotation draws its atmospheric clouds into distinct belts parallel to its equator. Jupiter has more known moons by far than any other planet in the solar system—as many as 63, with new ones being discovered regularly in recent years—and it has a faint ring system that was unknown until 1979, when the Voyager space probe investigated the planet. A persistent anticyclonic storm known as the Great Red Spot is Jupiter's most prominent feature. See Table at solar system. |
jupiter
To kill an IRC robot or user and then take its place by adopting its nick so that it cannot reconnect. Named after a particular IRC user who did this to NickServ, the robot in charge of preventing people from inadvertently using a nick claimed by another user.
[The Jargon File]
(1994-11-23)
Jupiter
the principal deity of the ancient Greeks and Romans. He was worshipped by them under various epithets. Barnabas was identified with this god by the Lycaonians (Acts 14:12), because he was of stately and commanding presence, as they supposed Jupiter to be. There was a temple dedicated to this god outside the gates of Lystra (14:13).
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