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lunar - 8 dictionary results

lu⋅nar

[loo-ner]
–adjective
1. of or pertaining to the moon: the lunar orbit.
2. measured by the moon's revolutions: a lunar month.
3. resembling the moon; round or crescent-shaped.
4. of or pertaining to silver.
–noun
5. a lunar observation taken for purposes of navigation or mapping.

Origin:
1585–95; < L lūnāris of the moon. See Luna, -ar 1
lu·nar   (lōō'nər)   
adj.  
  1. Of, involving, caused by, or affecting the moon.
  2. Measured by the revolution of the moon.
  3. Of or relating to silver.

[Middle English, crescent-shaped, from Old French lunaire, from Latin lūnāris, of the moon, from lūna, moon; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.]

Lunar

Lu"nar\, a. [L. lunaris, fr. luna the moon. See Luna, and cf. Lunary.]

1. Of or pertaining to the moon; as, lunar observations.

2. Resembling the moon; orbed. --Dryden.

3. Measured by the revolutions of the moon; as, a lunar month.

4. Influenced by the moon, as in growth, character, or properties; as, lunar herbs. --Bacon.

Lunar caustic (Med. Chem.), silver nitrate prepared to be used as a cautery; -- so named because silver was called luna by the ancient alchemists.

Lunar cycle. Same as Metonic cycle. See under Cycle.

Lunar distance, the angular distance of the moon from the sun, a star, or a planet, employed for determining longitude by the lunar method.

Lunar method, the method of finding a ship's longitude by comparing the local time of taking (by means of a sextant or circle) a given lunar distance, with the Greenwich time corresponding to the same distance as ascertained from a nautical almanac, the difference of these times being the longitude.

Lunar month. See Month.

Lunar observation, an observation of a lunar distance by means of a sextant or circle, with the altitudes of the bodies, and the time, for the purpose of computing the longitude.

Lunar tables. (a) (Astron.) Tables of the moon's motions, arranged for computing the moon's true place at any time past or future. (b) (Navigation) Tables for correcting an observed lunar distance on account of refraction and parallax.

Lunar year, the period of twelve lunar months, or 354 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, and 34.38 seconds.

Lunar

Lu"nar\, n. 1. (Astron.) A lunar distance.

2. (Anat.) The middle bone of the proximal series of the carpus; -- called also semilunar, and intermedium.
Language Translation for : lunar
Spanish: lunar,
German: Mond-…,
Japanese: 月の

lunar 
"of or pertaining to the moon," 1626, from O.Fr. lunaire, from L. lunaris "of the moon," from luna "moon," (with capital L-) "moon goddess," from *leuksna- (cf. O.C.S. luna "moon," O.Pruss. lauxnos "stars," M.Ir. luan "light, moon"), from the same source as lux, lumen "light." The luna moth (1884) so called for the crescent-shaped markings on its wings.

Main Entry: lu·nar
Pronunciation: 'lü-n&r also -"när
Function: adjective
: LUNATE

lunar lu·nar (l&oomacr;'nər)
adj.

  1. Relating to the moon or to a month.
  2. Lunate.
  3. Containing silver.

lunar   (l'nər)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. Relating to the Moon.
  2. Measured by the revolution of the Moon around the Earth.

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