definitions

astronomical clock

noun

a clock indicating or representing the movements of the sun or planets, the phases of the moon, or the sky visible at a given time, used as a means of establishing time or for additional information, as locating celestial bodies or timing their movement.
a clock used for observing the apparent time of the meridian passages of heavenly bodies.

RELATED CONTENT

Tick, Tock: What Is The “Doomsday Clock?”What is the Doomsday Clock? Doomsday  is one of those evocative words that paint a very vivid picture. As our definition states, “the day of the Last Judgment, at the end of the world; nuclear destruction of the world; given to or marked by forebodings or predictions of impending calamity; especially concerned with or predicting future universal destruction.” As you can see, it’s about as …
READ MORE
What Does ⏰ Alarm Clock Emoji Mean?The alarm clock emoji depicts an old fashioned alarm clock, sitting on two short legs with two clangers (yup, that's a technical term) perched on top.
READ MORE

Nearby words

astronautics, astronavigation, astronomer, astronomer royal, astronomical, astronomical clock, astronomical distance, astronomical frame of reference, astronomical refraction, astronomical telescope, astronomical triangle

Origin of astronomical clock

First recorded in 1855–60
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for astronomical clock

astronomical clock

noun

a complex clock showing astronomical phenomena, such as the phases of the moon
any clock showing sidereal time used in observatories
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