eclipse

American  

[ih-klips] / ɪˈklɪps /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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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 Scientific  

/ ĭ-klĭps′ /

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.

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eclipse Cultural  

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).

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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.

Discover More

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

Etymology

Origin of eclipse

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

Explanation

Have you ever seen an eclipse? That's when the sun, earth or moon cross paths and cover each other up temporarily. A solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks our view of the sun for a bit. A lunar eclipse happens when the moon is on one side of the earth and the sun directly opposite, so the moon disappears. A TV eclipse, perhaps the most serious of all, is when your dad walks in at the most crucial part of the movie and blocks your view of the TV while he lectures about taking out the trash.

Example Sentences

And on April 6, they also witnessed a 54-minute solar eclipse as their capsule continued on its orbit.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

When the helmsman said that it didn’t, Pericles asked, “so, where’s the difference between this and the eclipse, except that something bigger than my cape has blotted out the sun?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

"With the date we launched at, the orbital mechanics were such that... on the end of the lunar flyby, the crew witnessed an eclipse," Gibbons said.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Another image captures the total solar eclipse that occurred when the moon blocked the sun from the crew’s perspective.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Paler indeed than the moon ailing in some slow eclipse was the light of it now, wavering and blowing like a noisome exhalation of decay, a corpse-light, a light that illuminated nothing.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Related Words

• exceed
• outdo
• outshine
• overrun
• transcend