umbra

noun

um·bra ˈəm-brə

plural umbras or umbrae ˈəm-(ˌ)brē

-ˌbrī

Synonyms of umbra next

: 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

: the central dark part of a sunspot

: a shaded area

umbral

ˈəm-brəl

adjective

Did you know?

The Latin word umbra ("shade, shadow") has given English a range of words in addition to umbra itself. An umbrella can provide us with shade from the sun. So can an umbrageous tree. (In this case, umbrageous means "affording shade.") The connection to shade or shadow in other umbra words is less obvious. When we say someone takes umbrage, we mean they take offense, but in times past people used the word as a synonym of shade or shadow. These two senses of umbrage influenced umbrageous, which can mean "inclined to take offense easily" as well as "affording shade."

Examples of umbra in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web The moon’s shadow, or umbra, is falling across the southeastern coast of Texas, near Corpus Christi. —

Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Oct. 2023 The penumbral eclipse, when the moon is completely immersed in the penumbral cone of the Earth without touching the umbra, the inner part of Earth's shadow, is expected to begin Sunday just after 9:30 p.m. ET, according to NASA. —

Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 12 May 2022 Only where the moon blocks all the light from the sun — in its dark inner shadow called the umbra — can people on Earth see a total solar eclipse. —

Michael E Bakich, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2017 The partial eclipse, when the moon appears to move into the umbra and part of the moon inside the umbra will appear very dark, will occur just before 10:30 p.m. ET. —

Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 12 May 2022 In other words, things really gets started when the Moon moves into the umbra. —

Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2010 The partial outer shadow is called the penumbra; the full, dark shadow is the umbra. —

Ashley Strickland, CNN, 5 Feb. 2023 This is made up of the time when the Moon hits the penumbra and umbra. —

Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 17 Nov. 2021 This will be a partial lunar eclipse, when part of the moon will enter the umbra, or the Earth's full shadow. —

Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 5 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'umbra.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.