annular eclipse

American

noun

an eclipse of the sun in which a portion of its surface is visible as a ring surrounding the dark moon.

annular eclipse British

noun

an eclipse of the sun in which the moon does not cover the entire disc of the sun, so that a ring of sunlight surrounds the shadow of the moon Compare total eclipse partial eclipse

"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

annular eclipse Scientific

See under eclipse

Etymology

Origin of annular eclipse

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

annular eclipse

Spain will be treated yet again on January 26, 2028, when an annular eclipse -- or "ring of fire" -- will cross southern areas.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

I have an assortment of neutral density filters because I had previously photographed an annular eclipse, when the moon is farther away in its Earth orbit and therefore doesn’t block the entirety of the sun.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 14, 2024

In a total eclipse, the Moon fully blocks the Sun from Earth view, while during an annular eclipse, a narrow ring of sunlight can be seen encircling the Moon.

From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2024

The path of the ring of fire, or annular eclipse, mostly crosses the Pacific Ocean, limiting visibility from land to a few locations.

From National Geographic ● Dec. 6, 2023

We then have what is known as an annular eclipse.

From The Story of the Heavens by Sir Robert S. (Robert Stawell) Ball

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023