syzygy
Astronomy. an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet: Syzygy in the sun-earth-moon system occurs at the time of full moon and new moon.
Classical Prosody. a group or combination of two feet, sometimes restricted to a combination of two feet of different kinds.
any two related things, either alike or opposite.
Origin of syzygy
1Other words from syzygy
- sy·zyg·i·al [si-zij-ee-uhl], /sɪˈzɪdʒ i əl/, syz·y·get·ic [siz-i-jet-ik], /ˌsɪz ɪˈdʒɛt ɪk/, syz·y·gal [siz-i-guhl], /ˈsɪz ɪ gəl/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for syzygy
/ (ˈsɪzɪdʒɪ) /
either of the two positions (conjunction or opposition) of a celestial body when sun, earth, and the body lie in a straight line: the moon is at syzygy when full
(in classical prosody) a metrical unit of two feet
rare any pair, usually of opposites
biology the aggregation in a mass of certain protozoans, esp when occurring before sexual reproduction
Origin of syzygy
1Derived forms of syzygy
- syzygial (sɪˈzɪdʒɪəl), syzygetic (ˌsɪzɪˈdʒɛtɪk) or syzygal (ˈsɪzɪɡəl), adjective
- syzygetically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for syzygy
[ sĭz′ə-jē ]
Either of two points in the orbit of a celestial body where the body is in opposition to or in conjunction with the Sun.
Either of the two points in the orbit of the Moon when it lies in a straight line with the Sun and Earth. A new moon syzygy occurs when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth; a full moon syzygy occurs when the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun.
The configuration of the Sun, Moon, and Earth when lying in a straight line.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse