An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A giant, gaseous, Jupiter-like planet lying too close to its parent star and having
an orbital period from a few days to a few weeks. The existence of hot Jupiters is usually interpreted in terms of planetary migration. These planets can, in principle, be formed at larger distances from their stars and migrate to the inner regions due to dynamical interaction with the proto-planetary disk.

See also: → hot; → Jupiter.