parhelion
Americannoun
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parhelia
plural
noun
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parhelia
plural
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A white spot appearing at times in the parhelic circle. White parhelia are believed to form from light that is reflected off of atmospheric ice crystals; colored parhelia are believed to form from light that is refracted by atmospheric ice crystals. Multiple parhelia can often be seen simultaneously.
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Compare anthelion
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of parhelion
First recorded in 1640–50; alteration of Latin parēlion, from Greek parḗlion, noun use of neuter of parḗlios “beside the sun”; see par-, helio-
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.
See Examples For:
Sometimes during the summer we see the parhelion, a similar phenomenon of the sun.
From The North Pole Its Discovery in 1909 under the auspices of the Peary Arctic Club by Robert E. (Robert Edwin) Peary
A very brilliant and clearly defined parhelion was visible at the time, and there were only a few light clouds.
From Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea by John Franklin
At 5 a.m. a beautiful parhelion formed around the sun.
From South: the story of Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition by Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
At each point of contact occurs a parhelion which is a mock sun of brilliant colors and called a sun-dog.
From Reading the Weather by Thomas Morris Longstreth
About noon on the 16th, a parhelion, faintly prismatic, appeared on each side of the sun, continuing only for half an hour.
From Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1 by Sir William Edward Parry
Also visible were a range of other effects, including parhelia - or sun dogs - which appear as bright patches either side of the sun.
From BBC ● May 29, 2023
For a few words of this class, however, there are double plurals in use; as, automata or atomatons, criteria or criterions, parhelia or parhelions; and the plural of phenomenon appears to be always phenomena.
From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown
Sundogs, or parhelia, as they are technically known, are caused by ice particles reflecting a diffused light.
From The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Edward J. Ruppelt
Not only did the sun smile upon the scene, but two mock suns or parhelia, almost as bright as himself, shone on either side of him.
From Ungava by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne
Less brilliant are the parhelia of the outer halo.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 8 "Haller, Albrecht" to "Harmonium" by Various
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.
