# solar

/ˈsoʊɫɝ/ (US) · /sˈəʊlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/solar
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. related to the sun

adjective · CEFR B1

connected with the sun or coming from the sun.

For teachers: pertaining to or proceeding from the sun. Usually non-gradable.

- The solar system includes the sun and all the planets that move around it.
- Scientists observed a massive solar flare that released a burst of radiation toward the Earth's atmosphere.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

### 2. using sun power

adjective · CEFR B1

using the energy from the sun to make electricity or heat.

For teachers: utilising or powered by solar radiation.

- Many houses now have solar panels on their roofs to save money on energy.
- The government is investing heavily in solar technology to reduce the nation's reliance on fossil fuels.

### 3. solar energy

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

energy or power that comes from the sun.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'solar energy' or 'solar power'. Uncountable in this sense.

- We decided to switch to solar to help the environment.
- The transition to solar has been faster than expected due to the falling cost of battery storage.

### 4. medieval room

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a private upper room in a medieval house.

For teachers: a private room or upper chamber in a medieval English house, often used by the family for privacy away from the main hall.

- The lord and lady of the castle slept in the solar above the great hall.
- Architectural historians noted that the solar provided a rare degree of domestic privacy in an otherwise communal medieval structure.

## Examples

- We installed solar panels on our roof to save money.
- The city is investing in solar energy to reduce its reliance on coal and other fossil fuels.
- A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, momentarily obscuring the solar disk from view.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.