umbra

Umbra is shadow, or a dark tone or area.

(noun)

  1. An example of an umbra is the shadow beyond a streetlight.
  2. An example of an umbra is the darkest part of the shadow cast by an eclipse.

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See umbra in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. umbrae or umbras

  1. shade or a shadow
  2. the dark central cone of shadow projecting from a planet or satellite on the side opposite the sun
  3. the dark central part of a sunspot
  4. Rare a phantom, or ghost
  5. Physics a perfect or complete shadow, in which no direct light is received from the source of illumination

Origin: L, a shade, shadow

Related Forms:

See umbra in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. um·bras or um·brae (-brē)
  1. A dark area, especially the blackest part of a shadow from which all light is cut off. See Synonyms at shade.
  2. Astronomy
    a. The completely dark portion of the shadow cast by the earth, moon, or other body during an eclipse.
    b. The darkest region of a sunspot.

Origin:

Origin: Latin, shadow

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Related Forms:

  • umˈbral adjective

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