antisolar
|an-ti-so-lar|
🇺🇸
/ˌæntiˈsoʊlər/
🇬🇧
/ˌæntiˈsəʊlə/
opposite the sun
Etymology
'antisolar' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the combining prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against' or 'opposite') and 'solar' (from Latin 'solaris', from 'sol' meaning 'sun'), where 'anti-' meant 'opposite' and 'sol' meant 'sun'.
'antisolar' was created in Modern English by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' with the Latin-derived adjective 'solar' and came into use in scientific and technical contexts (for example, astronomy and meteorology) to denote the direction opposite the sun.
Initially, the compound meant 'opposite the sun' and that original sense has largely been retained in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the point or direction in the sky that is exactly opposite the sun (the antisolar point); sometimes used to refer to that point itself.
Observers marked the antisolar on their charts to indicate the direction opposite the sun.
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Adjective 1
located on or directed toward the side opposite the sun; relating to the antisolar point (the direction or point diametrically opposite the sun).
The comet's tail pointed in an antisolar direction, away from the sun.
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Last updated: 2025/09/10 10:22