sublunary

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /sʌbˈlunəɹi/ UK /sʌbˈluːnəri/ See IPA manual

Freq #283612

Meanings

1

adj
literary: belonging to this earthly world rather than to heaven or a spiritual realm

The philosopher set aside celestial questions to discuss sublunary politics.
2

adj
situated beneath the moon or between the earth and the moon

Older cosmology treated the sublunary region as a realm of constant change.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · literary: belonging to this... earthly terrestrial worldly

2 adj · situated beneath the moon... sublunarcislunar

Opposites

celestial heavenlysuperlunary

Word family

Related forms lunar moon earthly celestial

Etymology

A learned formation from Late Latin sublunaris, from sub- ('below') + lunaris ('lunar, of the moon'), with English -ary. In Aristotelian and medieval cosmology, the mutable world below the moon was distinguished from the supposedly perfect heavens, giving sublunary its literary sense 'earthly or worldly.'

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# sublunary

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /sʌbˈlunəɹi/
**IPA (UK):** /sʌbˈluːnəri/
**Frequency rank:** 283612

## Meanings
1. literary: belonging to this earthly world rather than to heaven or a spiritual realm
2. situated beneath the moon or between the earth and the moon

## Examples
- The philosopher set aside celestial questions to discuss sublunary politics.
- Older cosmology treated the sublunary region as a realm of constant change.

## Synonyms
- earthly
- terrestrial
- worldly
- sublunar
- cislunar

## Antonyms
- celestial
- heavenly
- superlunary

## Related Forms
- lunar
- moon
- earthly
- celestial

## Etymology
A learned formation from Late Latin sublunaris, from sub- ('below') + lunaris ('lunar, of the moon'), with English -ary. In Aristotelian and medieval cosmology, the mutable world below the moon was distinguished from the supposedly perfect heavens, giving sublunary its literary sense 'earthly or worldly.'

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

markdown