umbra

noun

um·bra ˈəm-brə

plural umbras or umbrae ˈəm-(ˌ)brē

-ˌbrī

: a conical shadow excluding all light from a given source

specifically : the conical part of the shadow of a celestial body excluding all light from the primary source

: the central dark part of a sunspot

: a shaded area

umbral

ˈəm-brəl

adjective

Did you know?

The Latin word umbra ("shade, shadow") has given English a range of words in addition to umbra itself. An umbrella can provide us with shade from the sun. So can an umbrageous tree. (In this case, umbrageous means "affording shade.") The connection to shade or shadow in other umbra words is less obvious. When we say someone takes umbrage, we mean they take offense, but in times past people used the word as a synonym of shade or shadow. These two senses of umbrage influenced umbrageous, which can mean "inclined to take offense easily" as well as "affording shade."

Example Sentences

strange noises were coming from the wooded umbra beyond our campfire during a solar eclipse observers located within the umbra experience a complete blocking of the sun by the moon

Recent Examples on the Web That eclipse was a penumbral eclipse, when the moon is completely immersed in the penumbral cone of the Earth without touching the umbra, the inner part of Earth's shadow.

Teddy Grant, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2022 In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra.

Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 7 Nov. 2022 For a lunar eclipse, the moon needs to pass through Earth’s umbra shadow, which isn’t the case with every full moon, due to some varying degrees of orbit.

Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 2 Nov. 2022 As for timing, on Sunday night, the moon will enter the umbra, the inner part of the Earth’s shadow, at 9:28 p.m.

Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 15 May 2022 On Sunday night, the moon will enter the umbra – the inner part of the Earth’s shadow – at 9:28 p.m.

Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 8 May 2022 During a full lunar eclipse, the moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow -- the umbra.

Katie Hunt, Megan Marples And Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 May 2022 When the moon passes through the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, called the umbra, it's known as a total lunar eclipse, the space agency said.

Megan Marples And Ashley Strickland, CNN, 13 May 2022 The excitement will begin at precisely 10:27 p.m. when the first hint of the Earth’s darker shadow, called the umbra, appears on the disc of the moon.

Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 10 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'umbra.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.