Origin of the word
Eclipse comes from Middle English. It originates from the Old French noun ‘e(s)clipse’ and the verb ‘eclipser’ which came via Latin from the Greek ‘ekleipsis’, from ‘ekleipen’ (‘fail to appear’) (ek ‘out’ and leipen ‘to leave’).
Examples
The word eclipse is used to describe an astronomical event, most notably a solar eclipse. They occur when the shadow of the moon crosses the surface of the Earth, totally or partially obscuring the sun for a short period.
On Monday 21st August 2017, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse. It will be visible across a corridor extending approximately 70 miles in width in the states of North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and Idaho. The eclipse will first become apparent just after 10.15am Pacific Daylight Time at the Pacific Coast of Oregon. It will then progress eastwards across the other states.
This eclipse is unique because 12.2 million people live in the path of totality (the time when the face of the sun is completely covered). Some 88 million other Americans are within a day’s drive of the area of totality.
Definition
to make the sun or moon become partly or completely dark because of the position of the sun, moon, and earth in relation to each other
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
