# Roche limit

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. The closest a satellite can approach its parent body before the gravitational forces holding it together are overwhelmed by tidal forces pulling it apart.

## Etymology
Named after French astronomer Édouard Roche, who first calculated the limit in 1848.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/roche-limit