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anthelion

[ ant-hee-lee-uhn, an-thee- ]

noun

, plural ant·he·li·a [ant-, hee, -lee-, uh, an-, thee, -].
  1. a luminous, white spot occasionally appearing at the sun's elevation but in the opposite part of the sky.


anthelion

/ ænˈθiː-; æntˈhiːlɪən /

noun

  1. a faint halo sometimes seen in polar or high altitude regions around the shadow of an object cast onto a thick cloud bank or fog
  2. a white spot occasionally appearing on the parhelic circle at the same height as and opposite to the sun
“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


anthelion

/ ănt-hēlē-ən,ăn-thē- /

, Plural anthelia

  1. A bright white or colored spot appearing at times in the sky opposite the Sun. White anthelia are believed to form from light that is reflected off atmospheric ice crystals; colored anthelia are believed to form from light that is refracted by atmospheric ice crystals.
  2. Compare parhelion


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Word History and Origins

Origin of anthelion1

1660–70; < Late Greek anthḗlion, neuter of anthḗlios opposite the sun, equivalent to ant- ant- + hḗli ( os ) the sun + -os adj. suffix
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Word History and Origins

Origin of anthelion1

C17: from Late Greek, from anthēlios opposite the sun, from ante- + hēlios sun

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anthelic arcanthelix