eclipse
n. countablen. an event where one object in space moves into the shadow of another object. This usually makes the sun or moon look dark for a short time.
n. the partial or complete obscuring of one celestial body by another, or by the shadow cast by another. Often used metaphorically to describe a loss of power, importance, or prominence.
We wore special glasses to watch the solar eclipse.
Thousands of people traveled to the path of totality to witness the rare total solar eclipse.
The sudden darkness of the midday eclipse caused the local wildlife to fall silent, as if night had prematurely descended upon the valley.
From Old French eclipse, from Latin eclīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis, “eclipse”), from ἐκλείπω (ekleípō, “I abandon, go missing, vanish”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) and λείπω (leípō, “I leave behind”). Doublet of eclipsis.
Commonly modified by 'solar' or 'lunar' to specify the celestial bodies involved.