sundial
|sun-di-al|
/ˈsʌn.daɪ.əl/
time shown by sun's shadow
Etymology
'sundial' originates from English, specifically the compound 'sun' + 'dial', where 'sun' meant 'the sun' and 'dial' meant 'a device for marking hours (a clock face)'.
'dial' entered English via Old English and Middle English from Latin 'dialis' (from 'dies' meaning 'day'); the compound 'sundial' developed in Middle English by combining 'sun' + 'dial' to denote a device using the sun to show time.
Initially it meant 'a device for measuring the hours of the day by the sun'; this core meaning has largely remained the same into modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a device that indicates the time of day by the position of a shadow cast by a fixed object (the gnomon) onto a marked surface (the dial).
The old sundial in the garden still marks the hours on a sunny day.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/18 08:36