parallax

par·al·lax

noun \ˈpa-rə-ˌlaks\

Definition of PARALLAX

: the apparent displacement or the difference in apparent direction of an object as seen from two different points not on a straight line with the object; especially : the angular difference in direction of a celestial body as measured from two points on the earth's orbit

Origin of PARALLAX

Middle French parallaxe, from Greek parallaxis, from parallassein to change, from para- + allassein to change, from allos other

First Known Use: 1580

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

Rhymes with PARALLAX

battle-ax, direct tax, disclimax, estate tax, hidden tax, income tax, Japan wax, mineral wax, minimax, nuisance tax, prothorax, sealing wax, single tax, supertax, telefax, to the max