occultation
Americannoun
-
Astronomy. the passage of one celestial body in front of another, thus hiding the other from view: applied especially to the moon's coming between an observer and a star or planet.
-
disappearance from view or notice.
-
the act of blocking or hiding from view.
-
the resulting hidden or concealed state.
noun
-
the temporary disappearance of one celestial body as it moves out of sight behind another body
-
the act of occulting or the state of being occulted
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of occultation
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin occultātiōn- (stem of occultātiō ) a hiding, equivalent to occultāt ( us ) (past participle of occultāre to conceal, keep something hidden, frequentative of occulere; see occult) + -iōn- -ion
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.
The occultation will be visible from parts of the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Venezuela.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026
During the occultation, the Moon passed in front of the planet Mars, which allowed the photographer to capture both objects together.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2023
Another occultation will occur on May 13, visible to telescopes in the United States and Canada.
From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2023
This event, known as an occultation, lasted less than a minute.
From Scientific American ● Feb. 11, 2023
He periodically checked their accuracy by taking a kind of astronomical reading called an occultation.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
