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

Other Astronomy Terms

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