umbra

um·bra

noun \ˈəm-brə\

plural umbras or um·brae\-(ˌ)brē, -ˌbrī\

Definition of UMBRA

1

: a shaded area

2

a : a conical shadow excluding all light from a given source; specifically : the conical part of the shadow of a celestial body excluding all light from the primary source b : the central dark part of a sunspot

— um·bral \-brəl\ adjective

Examples of UMBRA

1. <strange noises were coming from the wooded umbra beyond our campfire>
2. <during a solar eclipse observers located within the umbra experience a complete blocking of the sun by the moon>

Origin of UMBRA

Latin

First Known Use: 1638

Related to UMBRA

Synonyms: black, blackness, candlelight, darkness, dusk, gloaming, gloom, murk, night, semidarkness, shade, shadows, twilight, dark

Antonyms: blaze, brightness, brilliance, day, daylight, glare, glow, light, lightness

Related Words: midnight; blackout, brownout, dimout; shadiness, umbrage; dullness (also dulness), somberness; cloudiness, fogginess, haziness, mistiness, murkiness; dimness, faintness, gloominess, grayness, paleness; half-light

Near Antonyms: moonlight, starlight, sunlight; effulgence, radiance, radiancy, shine, sunshine; incandescence, luminance, luminescence, luminosity, luminousness

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Astronomy Terms

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