occultation

noun

oc·​cul·​ta·​tion ˌä-(ˌ)kəl-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce occultation (audio)
1
: the state of being hidden from view or lost to notice
2
: the interruption of the light from a celestial body or of the signals from a spacecraft by the intervention of a celestial body
especially : an eclipse of a star or planet by the moon

Examples of occultation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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These include monitoring near-Earth asteroids and comets and observing asteroid occultations (when an asteroid passes in front of a star, causing its light to dim) and exoplanet transits (when a planet crosses the face of its parent star) to help confirm discoveries. PCMAG, 10 Mar. 2025 The places where the occultation happens close to sunset are relatively remote. Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025 One group of amateurs, known as the International Occultation Timing Association, or IOTA, often use their own telescopes and sensitive cameras to look for the sudden dimming of light from a distant star as an asteroid or comet passes in front of it — something known as an occultation. Scott Neuman, NPR, 12 Feb. 2025 Remarkably, the rare event—called an occultation by astronomers—occurred just as Mars reached its closest to Earth since December 2022. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for occultation

Word History

Etymology

Middle English occultacion, borrowed from Latin occultātiōn-, occultātiō "concealment, interruption of light from a celestial body," from occultāre "to prevent from being seen, conceal, keep secret" + -tiōn- -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at occult entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of occultation was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Occultation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occultation. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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