um·brel·la
ˌəm-ˈbre-lə 
especially Southern ˈəm-ˌbre-
1
: a collapsible shade for protection against weather consisting of fabric stretched over hinged ribs radiating from a central pole
especially
: a small one for carrying in the hand
2
: something which covers or embraces a broad range of elements or factors
decided to expand … by building new colleges under a federation umbrella—
Diane Ravitch
Diane Ravitch3
: the bell-shaped or saucer-shaped largely gelatinous structure that forms the chief part of the body of most jellyfishes : bell entry 1 sense 3b
4
: something which provides protection: such as
a
: defensive air cover (as over a battlefront)
b
: a heavy barrage
umbrellaed; umbrellaing
: to protect, cover, or provide with an umbrella
Examples of umbrella in a Sentence
Noun
The store sells Indian, Asian, and Middle Eastern foods under the umbrella of international cuisine.
Recent Examples on the WebGabrielle Porcaro, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2024
To keep you cool and protected from sunburn, invest in an outdoor umbrella.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for umbrella 
Noun
Hidden in this compact, durable bag are 20 pockets and compartments to accommodate and organize everything from clothes to an umbrella to power cords.
—Gabrielle Porcaro, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2024
To keep you cool and protected from sunburn, invest in an outdoor umbrella.
—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for umbrella
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'umbrella.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near umbrella
Cite this Entry
“Umbrella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/umbrella. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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