synodic

American  

[si-nod-ik] / sɪˈnɒd ɪk /

Also synodical

adjective

1. Astronomy. pertaining to a conjunction, or to two successive conjunctions of the same bodies.

2. of or relating to a synod; synodal.

---

synodic British  

/ sɪˈnɒdɪk /

adjective

1. relating to or involving a conjunction or two successive conjunctions of the same star, planet, or satellite

   the synodic month

---

synodic Scientific  

/ sĭ-nŏd′ĭk /

1. Relating to the conjunction of celestial bodies, especially to the interval between two successive conjunctions of a planet or the Moon with the Sun as viewed from Earth. For example, the new moon comes at the conjunction of the Moon with the Sun; the interval between successive new moons (the time it takes for the Moon to orbit the Earth and return to conjunction with the Sun) is the Moon's synodic period, also called a lunar month. Synodic time differs from sidereal time, which is measured in relation to the stars and is generally more appropriate to astronomical observation.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonsynodic adjective
• nonsynodical adjective
• nonsynodically adverb
• subsynodic adjective
• subsynodical adjective
• subsynodically adverb
• synodically adverb

Etymology

Origin of synodic

1555–65; < Late Latin synodicus < Greek synodikós. See synod, -ic

Example Sentences

Venus takes about 584 days to complete one synodic period, while Mars takes about 780 days.

From Scientific American • Aug. 17, 2023

This prograde-to-retrograde cycle is known as a synodic period, and Mercury takes roughly 115 days to complete it.

From Scientific American • Aug. 17, 2023

These rotations are called the synodic cycles of the planets—their cycles relative to the sun.

From Scientific American • Dec. 14, 2021

They determined correctly within a small fraction the length of the synodic revolution of the moon.

From The Seven Great Monarchies Of The Ancient Eastern World, Vol 4. (of 7): Babylon The History, Geography, And Antiquities Of Chaldaea, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, Parthia, And Sassanian or New Persian Empire; With Maps and Illustrations. by Rawlinson, George

C reckons the intervening 238,000 miles, its diameter of 2,162.3 miles, and his mind busies itself with orbits, radii, ellipses, eclipses, azimuth, parallax, sidereal periods, satellitic inclinations, and synodic revolutions.

From Southern Literature From 1579-1895 A comprehensive review, with copious extracts and criticisms for the use of schools and the general reader by Manly, Louise