What does "ecliptic" mean?
Ecliptic: (Geog.) A great circle drawn on a terrestrial globe, making an angle of 23º 28' with the equator; -- used for illustrating and solving astronomical problems.
Additional senses
- 2.Pertaining to the ecliptic; as, the ecliptic way.
- 3.Pertaining to an eclipse or to eclipses. Lunar ecliptic limit (Astron.), the space of 12º on the moon's orbit from the node, within which, if the moon happens to be at full, it will be eclipsed. -- Solar ecliptic limit, the space of 17º from the lunar node, within which, if a conjunction of the sun and moon occur, the sun will be eclipsed.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00