anthelion
[ ant-hee-lee-uh n, an-thee- ]
/ æntˈhi li ən, ænˈθi- /
noun, plural ant·he·li·a [ant-hee-lee-uh, an-thee-] /æntˈhi li ə, ænˈθi-/.
a luminous, white spot occasionally appearing at the sun's elevation but in the opposite part of the sky.
Origin of anthelion
1660–70; < Late Greek
anthḗlion, neuter of
anthḗlios opposite the sun, equivalent to
ant-
ant- +
hḗli(os) the sun +
-os adj. suffix
Words nearby anthelion
antevert,
anth-,
anthea,
antheil,
anthelic arc,
anthelion,
anthelix,
anthelmintic,
anthem,
anthema,
anthemion
British Dictionary definitions for anthelion
anthelion
/ (æntˈhiːlɪən, ænˈθiː-) /
noun plural -lia (-lɪə)
a faint halo sometimes seen in polar or high altitude regions around the shadow of an object cast onto a thick cloud bank or fog
a white spot occasionally appearing on the parhelic circle at the same height as and opposite to the sun
Word Origin for anthelion
C17: from Late Greek, from
anthēlios opposite the sun, from
ante- +
hēlios sun
Scientific definitions for anthelion
anthelion
[ ănt-hē′lē-ən, ăn-thē′- ]
Plural anthelia
A bright white or colored spot appearing at times in the sky opposite the Sun. White anthelia are believed to form from light that is reflected off atmospheric ice crystals; colored anthelia are believed to form from light that is refracted by atmospheric ice crystals. Compare parhelion.