eclipse

[ih-klips]

noun

1. Astronomy.

   1. the obscuration of the light of the moon by the intervention of the earth between it and the sun lunar eclipse or the obscuration of the light of the sun by the intervention of the moon between it and a point on the earth solar eclipse.

   2. a similar phenomenon with respect to any other planet and either its satellite or the sun.

   3. the partial or complete interception of the light of one component of a binary star by the other.

2. any obscuration of light.

3. a reduction or loss of splendor, status, reputation, etc..

   Scandal caused the eclipse of his career.

verb (used with object)

eclipsed, eclipsing 

1. to cause to undergo eclipse.

   The moon eclipsed the sun.

2. to make less outstanding or important by comparison; surpass.

   a soprano whose singing eclipsed that of her rivals.

eclipse

/ ɪˈklɪps /

noun

1. the total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth; a lunar eclipse when the earth passes between the sun and the moon See also total eclipse partial eclipse annular eclipse Compare occultation

2. the period of time during which such a phenomenon occurs

3. any dimming or obstruction of light

4. a loss of importance, power, fame, etc, esp through overshadowing by another

verb

1. to cause an eclipse of

2. to cast a shadow upon; darken; obscure

3. to overshadow or surpass in importance, power, etc

eclipse

1. The partial or total blocking of light of one celestial object by another. An eclipse of the Sun or Moon occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned.

2. ◆ In a solar eclipse the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth. During a total solar eclipse the disk of the Moon fully covers that of the Sun, and only the Sun's corona is visible.

3. ◆ An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon is farthest in its orbit from the Earth so that its disk does not fully cover that of the Sun, and part of the Sun's photosphere is visible as a ring around the Moon.

4. ◆ In a lunar eclipse all or a part of the Moon's disk enters the umbra of the Earth's shadow and is no longer illuminated by the Sun. Lunar eclipses occur only during a full moon, when the Moon is directly opposite the Sun.

eclipse

1. In astronomy, the blocking out of light from one object by the intervention of another object. The most dramatic eclipses visible from the Earth are eclipses of the sun (when sunlight is blocked by the moon) and eclipses of the moon (when sunlight on its way to the moon is blocked by the Earth).

The term eclipse is also used to refer to a general decline or temporary obscurity: “After taking the title last year, the team has gone into an eclipse this season.”

Other Word Forms

• eclipser noun
• noneclipsed adjective
• noneclipsing adjective
• uneclipsed adjective
• uneclipsing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of eclipse¹

1250–1300; Middle English eclips ( e ), clips < Anglo-French, Old French eclipse < Latin eclīpsis < Greek ékleipsis, equivalent to ekleíp ( ein ) to leave out, forsake, fail to appear ( ec- ) + -sis -sis

Word History and Origins

Origin of eclipse¹

C13: back formation from Old English eclypsis, from Latin eclīpsis, from Greek ekleipsis a forsaking, from ekleipein to abandon, from leipein to leave

A Closer Look

The Sun is about 400 times wider than the Moon and 400 times farther from Earth, causing the two to appear to be almost exactly the same size in our sky. This relationship is also responsible for the phenomenon of the total solar eclipse, an eclipse of the Sun in which the disk of the Moon fully covers that of the Sun, blocking the Sun's light and causing the Moon's shadow to fall across the Earth. A total solar eclipse can be viewed only from a very narrow area on Earth, or zone of totality, where the dark central shadow of the Moon, or umbra, falls. From this perspective one can view the Sun's delicate corona—tendrils of charged gases that surround the Sun but are invisible to the unaided eye in normal daylight. This is also the only time when stars are visible in the day sky. Those viewing the eclipse from where the edges of the Moon's shadow, or penumbra, fall to Earth will see only a partial solar eclipse. The orbits of the Earth around the Sun and of the Moon around the Earth are not perfect circles, causing slight variations in how large the Sun and Moon appear to us and in the length of solar eclipses. The maximum duration of a total solar eclipse when the Earth is farthest from the Sun and the Moon is closest to the Earth is seven and a half minutes.

Example Sentences

A moment later the lid of the barrel was pried off, revealing a circle of blue sky that was instantly eclipsed by a man, peering in.

Read more on Literature

Debate around it had been partially eclipsed by partisan drama between Carney's Liberals and the Conservative opposition, who lost a member of their caucus to the Liberals shortly after the fiscal plan was proposed.

Read more on BBC

The dazzle of their outfits eclipsed the afterglow of the light.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

By the early 1960s it was headed for extinction, eclipsed by more practical film formats—to say nothing of the versatile, reliable miracles that are today’s digital movie cameras.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In 1932, people predicted that Cleopatra’s Needle was going to crumble just before a solar eclipse.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• exceed 
• outdo 
• outshine 
• overrun 
• transcend