umbrella

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A folding frame covered in cloth that you hold over your head to keep off rain or sun.

   Quick, grab that umbrella before you get rained on!

2. 2
   noun

   Something that covers or includes a wide range of different things.

   The new test was set up under the umbrella of the company's quality program.

3. 3
   adj

   Covering or including many similar things or groups at once.

   Several charities work together under one umbrella organization.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Umbrella entered English from Italian in the early 17th century and ultimately derives from Latin umbra, “shade.” It first denoted a sunshade, but within a few decades in English it also meant a device used against rain.

Borrowed from Italian ombrella (“parasol, sunshade”), from Late Latin umbrella (influenced by umbra (“shadow, shade”)), from Latin umbella, from umbra + -la (diminutive suffix).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary