noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɪˈklɪps/
/iˈklɪps/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪps
CMU ARPABET:IH0 K L IH1 P S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AH0 K L IH1 P S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 3:IY0 K L IH1 P S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An alignment of astronomical objects whereby one object comes between the observer (or notional observer) and another object, thus obscuring the latter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Especially, an alignment whereby a planetary object (for example, the Moon) comes between the Sun and another planetary object (for example, the Earth), resulting in a shadow being cast by the middle planetary object onto the other planetary object.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A seasonal state of plumage in some birds, notably ducks, adopted temporarily after the breeding season and characterised by a dull and scruffy appearance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, ornithology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Obscurity, decline, downfall.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
a. 1618, Walter Raleigh, quoted in Eclipse, entry in 1805, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, Volume 2, unnumbered page, All the posterity of our first parents suffered a perpetual eclipse of spiritual life.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
Of astronomical or atmospheric bodies, to cause an eclipse.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The Moon eclipsed the Sun.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To overshadow; to be better or more noticeable than.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: upstage
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To undergo eclipsis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
one celestial body obscures another
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: occultation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: interruption, break
Narrower terms: solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, total eclipse, partial eclipse
9
verb
Meaning 9
cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The Sun eclipses the moon today
Planets and stars often are occulted by other celestial bodies
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: occult
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: overshadow
10
verb
Meaning 10
be greater in significance than
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the tragedy overshadowed the couple's happiness
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: overshadow, dominate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: brood, hover, loom, bulk large
History
Etymology
From Middle English eclipse, from Old French eclipse, from Latin eclīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis, “eclipse”), from ἐκλείπω (ekleípō, “to abandon, go missing, vanish”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) and λείπω (leípō, “to leave behind”). Doublet of eclipsis. See also ellipse, ellipsis.
Across languages
Translations
167 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
verduistering
— passage of a planetary object between others
Albanian:
errësirë
— passage of a planetary object between others
Arabic:
كُسُوف
(kusūf)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Arabic:
خُسُوف
(ḵusūf)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Armenian:
խավարում
(xavarum)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Asturian:
eclipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Azerbaijani:
tutulma
— passage of a planetary object between others
West Coast Bajau:
kerau'
— passage of a planetary object between others
Basque:
eklipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Belarusian:
зацьме́нне
(zacʹmjénnje)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Bengali:
অন্ধকার
(ondhokar)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Central Bikol:
kulop
— passage of a planetary object between others
Central Bikol:
bakunawa
— passage of a planetary object between others
Bulgarian:
затъмнение
(zatǎmnenie)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Catalan:
eclipsi
— passage of a planetary object between others
Cebuano:
bakunawa
— passage of a planetary object between others
Chinese Mandarin:
日食
(rìshí)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Chinese Mandarin:
日蝕 /日蚀
(rìshí)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Chinese Mandarin:
月食
(yuèshí)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Chinese Mandarin:
月蝕 /月蚀
(yuèshí)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Chinese Mandarin:
交食
(jiāoshí)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Crimean Tatar:
tutuluv
— passage of a planetary object between others
Czech:
zatmění
— passage of a planetary object between others
Danish:
formørkelse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Dutch:
verduistering
— passage of a planetary object between others
Dutch:
eclips
— passage of a planetary object between others
Esperanto:
eklipso
— passage of a planetary object between others
Estonian:
varjutus
— passage of a planetary object between others
Finnish:
pimennys
— passage of a planetary object between others
French:
éclipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Old French:
esclipsement
— passage of a planetary object between others
Friulian:
eclìs
— passage of a planetary object between others
Galician:
eclipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Georgian:
დაბნელება
(dabneleba)
— passage of a planetary object between others
German:
Finsternis
— passage of a planetary object between others
German:
Eklipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
German:
Sonnenfinsternis
— passage of a planetary object between others
German:
Mondfinsternis
— passage of a planetary object between others
German:
Verdunklung
— passage of a planetary object between others
Greek:
έκλειψη
(ékleipsi)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Ancient Greek:
ἔκλειψις
(ékleipsis)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Hausa:
hùsūfī̀
— passage of a planetary object between others
Hebrew:
ליקוי מאורות
(likui maorot)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Hiligaynon:
eklipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Hindi:
ग्रहण
(grahaṇ)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Hungarian:
fogyatkozás
— passage of a planetary object between others
Icelandic:
myrkvi
— passage of a planetary object between others
Ido:
eklipso
— passage of a planetary object between others
Indonesian:
gerhana
— passage of a planetary object between others
Indonesian:
eklips
— passage of a planetary object between others
Ingrian:
pimehys
— passage of a planetary object between others
Iranun:
lahu'
— passage of a planetary object between others
Irish:
éiclips
— passage of a planetary object between others
Irish:
urú
— passage of a planetary object between others
Italian:
eclisse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Italian:
eclissi
— passage of a planetary object between others
Japanese:
食
(shoku)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Japanese:
蝕
(shoku)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Japanese:
日食
(nisshoku)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Japanese:
月食
(gesshoku)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Kazakh:
тұтылу
(tūtylu)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Khmer:
គ្រាស
(kriəh)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Konkani:
ग्राण
(grāṇ)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Korean:
식현상
(sikhyeonsang)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Latin:
eclīpsis
— passage of a planetary object between others
Latvian:
aptumsums
— passage of a planetary object between others
Lithuanian:
užtemimas
— passage of a planetary object between others
Macedonian:
помрачување
(pomračuvanje)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Malay:
gerhana
— passage of a planetary object between others
Malayalam:
ഗ്രഹണം
(grahaṇaṁ)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Maltese:
eklissi
— passage of a planetary object between others
Maltese:
kifsa
— passage of a planetary object between others
Manchu:
ᡧᡠᠨ ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ
(šun jembi)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Manchu:
ᠪᡳᠶᠠ ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ
(biya jembi)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Māori:
whenumitanga
— passage of a planetary object between others
Māori:
rā kutia
— passage of a planetary object between others
Māori:
whenumanga
— passage of a planetary object between others
Maranao:
garahana
— passage of a planetary object between others
Marathi:
ग्रहण
(grahaṇ)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Mongolian:
хиртэлт
(xirtelt)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Mongolian:
хиртэх
(xirtex)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Mongolian:
ᠭᠬᠢᠷᠲᠦᠯᠲᠡ
(gkirtülte)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Mongolian:
ᠭᠬᠢᠷᠲᠦᠬᠦ
(gkirtükü)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Nahuatl:
cualo
— passage of a planetary object between others
Navajo:
ałneʼííʼáázh
— passage of a planetary object between others
Nepali:
ग्रहण
(grahaṇ)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Norman:
êclyipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Norwegian Bokmål:
formørkelse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Norwegian Nynorsk:
formørking
— passage of a planetary object between others
Occitan:
eclipsi
— passage of a planetary object between others
Old English:
āsprungennes
— passage of a planetary object between others
Persian:
گرفت
(gereft)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Polish:
zaćmienie
— passage of a planetary object between others
Portuguese:
eclipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Romanian:
eclipsă
— passage of a planetary object between others
Russian:
затме́ние
(zatménije)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Sanskrit:
उपराग
(uparāga)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Sanskrit:
ग्रहण
(grahaṇa)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Santali:
ᱜᱚᱦᱚᱱᱚ
(gôhônô)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Scottish Gaelic:
dubhadh
— passage of a planetary object between others
Serbo-Croatian:
по̏мрчина
— passage of a planetary object between others
Serbo-Croatian:
pȍmrčina
— passage of a planetary object between others
Slovak:
zatmenie
— passage of a planetary object between others
Slovene:
mrk
— passage of a planetary object between others
Spanish:
eclipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Spanish:
eclipsi
— passage of a planetary object between others
Swahili:
kupatwa
— passage of a planetary object between others
Swedish:
förmörkelse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Tagalog:
eklipse
— passage of a planetary object between others
Tagalog:
laho
— passage of a planetary object between others
Tagalog:
takip-silim
— passage of a planetary object between others
Tamil:
கிரகணம்
(kirakaṇam)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Telugu:
గ్రహణము
(grahaṇamu)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Thai:
คราส
(krâat)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Thai:
อุปราคา
— passage of a planetary object between others
Turkish:
tutulma
— passage of a planetary object between others
Ukrainian:
зате́мнення
(zatémnennja)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Urdu:
گرہن
(grahan)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Vietnamese:
thiên thực
— passage of a planetary object between others
Volapük:
grahan
— passage of a planetary object between others
Waray-Waray:
bakunawa
— passage of a planetary object between others
Welsh:
diffyg
— passage of a planetary object between others
Welsh:
eclips
— passage of a planetary object between others
Yakut:
өлүү
(ölüü)
— passage of a planetary object between others
Yucatec Maya:
chiʼib
— passage of a planetary object between others
Dutch:
eclips
— moulting plumage
Dutch:
eclipskleed
— moulting plumage
Asturian:
eclipsar
— To cause an eclipse
Bulgarian:
затъмнявам
(zatǎmnjavam)
— To cause an eclipse
Catalan:
eclipsar
— To cause an eclipse
Danish:
formørke
— To cause an eclipse
Finnish:
pimentää
— To cause an eclipse
French:
éclipser
— To cause an eclipse
Galician:
eclipsar
— To cause an eclipse
German:
bedecken
— To cause an eclipse
German:
verfinstern
— To cause an eclipse
Ido:
eklipsar
— To cause an eclipse
Italian:
eclissare
— To cause an eclipse
Norwegian:
formørke
— To cause an eclipse
Polish:
zaćmiewać
— To cause an eclipse
Polish:
zaćmić
— To cause an eclipse
Portuguese:
eclipsar
— To cause an eclipse
Romanian:
eclipsa
— To cause an eclipse
Sikkimese:
སྒྲིབ
(sgrib)
— To cause an eclipse
Spanish:
eclipsar
— To cause an eclipse
Swedish:
förmörka
— To cause an eclipse
Swedish:
skymma
— To cause an eclipse
Swedish:
skugga
— To cause an eclipse
Bulgarian:
засенчвам
(zasenčvam)
— To overshadow
Bulgarian:
помрачавам
(pomračavam)
— To overshadow