penumbra

See also: Penumbra

English

WOTD – 28 January 2013, 28 January 2015

Diagram of a large light source and a smaller occulting body, showing the relationships between the umbra, the region that receives no light from the source, so that it is fully shaded, the penumbra that receives light from only one part of the rim of the source, so that it is partly shaded, and the antumbra, that is so far from the occulting body that it receives light from the rim all the way around the source, though not from the full area of the light source.

Alternative forms

• pænumbra (obsolete, rare)

Etymology

From New Latin pēnumbra, from Latin paene (“almost”) + umbra (“shadow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pəˈnʌm.bɹə/, enPR: pĭ-nŭm'brə
• Hyphenation: pen‧um‧bra or pe‧num‧bra

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

penumbra (plural penumbras or penumbrae or (obsolete) penumbræ)

1. A partially shaded area around the edges of a shadow, especially an eclipse.
   • 2011, Galen C. Duree, Jr., Optics for Dummies, Wiley Publishing, Inc., published 2011, →ISBN, page 61:

     The other places see the penumbra of the moon's shadow fall on the earth, so the eclipse is partial, and part of the sun's disc is still visible.

   • 2011, Frank McLynn, Captain Cook: Master of the Seas, Yale University Press, published 2011, →ISBN, page 112:

     In the boiling temperature of 119 ° F – the hottest they had experienced so far – they watched as the penumbra of Venus blurred its outline at the precise moment the disc crossed the sun.

   • 2012, Michael A. Seeds, Dana E. Backman, Horizons: Exploring the Universe, Brooks/Cole, published 2012, →ISBN, page 37:

     The part of the moon that remains in the penumbra receives some direct sunlight, and the glare is usually great enough to prevent your seeing the faint coppery glow of the part of the moon in the umbra.

2. (astronomy) A region around the edge of a sunspot, darker than the sun's surface but lighter than the middle of the sunspot.
3. (figuratively) An area of uncertainty or intermediacy between two mutually exclusive states or categories.
   • 1998, Debraj Ray, Development Economics, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, pages 346–347:

     These firms or businesses are not illegal in the strict sense, but there is a shadowy penumbra within which they live, and it is often convenient for the government to look the other way.

   • 2010, Denis Farkasfalvy, Inspiration and Interpretation: A Theological Introduction to Sacred Scripture, The Catholic University of America Press, published 2010, →ISBN, page 188:

     […] God chose to descend into the realm of human imperfection, where the light of truth is spare and must exist in the penumbra of partial knowledge mixed with partial ignorance.

   • 2011, Bill Schwartz, The White Man's World, Oxford University Press, published 2011, →ISBN, page 136:

     Unlike some of his contemporaries Parkes never implied that the Irish were close, in the racial hierarchy, to black, condemned to some racial penumbra, between black and white; but nor, given Catholic exclusion from the given traditions of his native radicalism, were the Irish white in the same way that he was.

4. (figuratively) An area that lies on the edge of something; a fringe.
   • 1975, Bryan R. Wilson, The Noble Savages: The Primitive Origins of Charisma and Its Contemporary Survival, Quantum Books, published 1975, →ISBN, page 116:

     Whilst the orthodox, de-charismatized churches steadily lose influence and support and the new cults develop, in the religious penumbra there have persisted, during the last century, echoes of charisma.

   • 1986, John McCormick, “Chicago Bounces Back”, in Newsweek, volume 108, page 42:

     But for all the expansionist energy of a metro area that sprawls from Wisconsin to Indiana (total population: 7.2 million), downtown Chicago and its penumbra also stand rejuvenated.

   • 2000, Steve Jones, The Language of Genes‎^[1], Flamingo, →ISBN, page xv:

     Some are accounts of the latest advances, but too many are in that weary penumbra of science inhabited by sociologists, who wander like children in a toyshop, playing with devices they scarcely understand.

5. Something related to, connected to, and implied by, the existence of something else that is necessary for the second thing to be full and complete in its essential aspects.
   • 1965, William O. Douglas, Griswold v. Connecticut, United States Reports, 381 U.S. 479

     The foregoing [United States Supreme Court] cases suggest that specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights have penumbras, formed by emanations from those guarantees that help give them life and substance.

6. (medicine, preceded by "ischaemic", after a stroke) A region of the brain that has lost only some of its blood supply, and retains structural integrity but has lost function.

Quotations

• 1842, [George B. Loring], England Opposed to Slavery, or Some Remarks upon “An Examination into the Real Causes of the War Against the United States, and an Appeal to the Other Powers of Europe Against the Purposes of England.”, Boston: Benjamin H. Greene, pages 48–49:

  Thank God we are not all cowards, we have not all a low ambition, which would make men shades, pœnumbræ of their fellows.

Synonyms

• (area of uncertainty or intermediacy): grey area
• (area that lies on the edge of something): periphery, outskirt

Derived terms

• penumbral

Translations

partially shaded area around a shadow, especially an eclipse

• Afrikaans: halfskaduwee, penumbra
• Arabic: شِبْه ظِلّ (šibh ẓill)
• Armenian: կիսաստվեր (hy) (kisastver)
• Basque: ilunantz
• Belarusian: паўце́нь f (paŭcjénʹ)
• Bulgarian: полуся́нка f (polusjánka)
• Catalan: penombra f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 半影 (zh) (bànyǐng)

• Czech: polostín (cs) m
• Dutch: halfschaduw (nl) m
• Esperanto: duonombro
• Finnish: puolivarjo, penumbra (fi)
• French: pénombre (fr) f
• Galician: penumbra (gl) f
• German: Halbschatten (de) m
• Greek: παρασκιά (el) f (paraskiá)
• Hebrew: פְּלַג צֵל m
• Hungarian: félárnyék (hu)
• Ido: miombro (io)
• Italian: penombra (it) f
• Japanese: 半影 (ja) (はんえい, han'ei)
• Korean: 본그림자 (bon'geurimja), 본영 (ko) (bonyeong)
• Malay: penumbra
• Nahuatl: achicehualli
• Polish: półcień m
• Portuguese: penumbra (pt) f
• Romanian: penumbră (ro) f
• Russian: полуте́нь (ru) f (poluténʹ)
• Slovak: polotieň m
• Spanish: penumbra (es) f
• Swedish: penumbra (sv), halvskugga c
• Thai: เงามัว (ngao-muua)
• Ukrainian: півті́нь f (pivtínʹ)

region around a sunspot

• Finnish: penumbra (fi)
• French: pénombre (fr) f
• German: Penumbra (de) f
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: penumbra m

  Nynorsk: penumbra m

• Spanish: penumbra (es) f
• Swedish: penumbra (sv) c

Finnish

Etymology

Internationalism (see English penumbra).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpenumbrɑ/, [ˈpe̞numbrɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -enumbrɑ
• Syllabification^(key): pe‧numb‧ra

Noun

penumbra

1. penumbra

Declension

Inflection of penumbra (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		penumbra	penumbrat
genitive		penumbran	penumbrien
partitive		penumbraa	penumbria
illative		penumbraan	penumbriin
		singular	plural
nominative		penumbra	penumbrat
accusative	nom.	penumbra	penumbrat
	gen.	penumbran
genitive		penumbran	penumbrien penumbrainrare
partitive		penumbraa	penumbria
inessive		penumbrassa	penumbrissa
elative		penumbrasta	penumbrista
illative		penumbraan	penumbriin
adessive		penumbralla	penumbrilla
ablative		penumbralta	penumbrilta
allative		penumbralle	penumbrille
essive		penumbrana	penumbrina
translative		penumbraksi	penumbriksi
abessive		penumbratta	penumbritta
instructive		—	penumbrin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of penumbra (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative penumbrani penumbrani accusative nom. penumbrani penumbrani gen. penumbrani genitive penumbrani penumbrieni penumbrainirare partitive penumbraani penumbriani inessive penumbrassani penumbrissani elative penumbrastani penumbristani illative penumbraani penumbriini adessive penumbrallani penumbrillani ablative penumbraltani penumbriltani allative penumbralleni penumbrilleni essive penumbranani penumbrinani translative penumbrakseni penumbrikseni abessive penumbrattani penumbrittani instructive — — comitative — penumbrineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative penumbrasi penumbrasi accusative nom. penumbrasi penumbrasi gen. penumbrasi genitive penumbrasi penumbriesi penumbraisirare partitive penumbraasi penumbriasi inessive penumbrassasi penumbrissasi elative penumbrastasi penumbristasi illative penumbraasi penumbriisi adessive penumbrallasi penumbrillasi ablative penumbraltasi penumbriltasi allative penumbrallesi penumbrillesi essive penumbranasi penumbrinasi translative penumbraksesi penumbriksesi abessive penumbrattasi penumbrittasi instructive — — comitative — penumbrinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative penumbramme penumbramme accusative nom. penumbramme penumbramme gen. penumbramme genitive penumbramme penumbriemme penumbraimmerare partitive penumbraamme penumbriamme inessive penumbrassamme penumbrissamme elative penumbrastamme penumbristamme illative penumbraamme penumbriimme adessive penumbrallamme penumbrillamme ablative penumbraltamme penumbriltamme allative penumbrallemme penumbrillemme essive penumbranamme penumbrinamme translative penumbraksemme penumbriksemme abessive penumbrattamme penumbrittamme instructive — — comitative — penumbrinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative penumbranne penumbranne accusative nom. penumbranne penumbranne gen. penumbranne genitive penumbranne penumbrienne penumbrainnerare partitive penumbraanne penumbrianne inessive penumbrassanne penumbrissanne elative penumbrastanne penumbristanne illative penumbraanne penumbriinne adessive penumbrallanne penumbrillanne ablative penumbraltanne penumbriltanne allative penumbrallenne penumbrillenne essive penumbrananne penumbrinanne translative penumbraksenne penumbriksenne abessive penumbrattanne penumbrittanne instructive — — comitative — penumbrinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative penumbransa penumbransa accusative nom. penumbransa penumbransa gen. penumbransa genitive penumbransa penumbriensa penumbrainsarare partitive penumbraansa penumbriaan penumbriansa inessive penumbrassaan penumbrassansa penumbrissaan penumbrissansa elative penumbrastaan penumbrastansa penumbristaan penumbristansa illative penumbraansa penumbriinsa adessive penumbrallaan penumbrallansa penumbrillaan penumbrillansa ablative penumbraltaan penumbraltansa penumbriltaan penumbriltansa allative penumbralleen penumbrallensa penumbrilleen penumbrillensa essive penumbranaan penumbranansa penumbrinaan penumbrinansa translative penumbrakseen penumbraksensa penumbrikseen penumbriksensa abessive penumbrattaan penumbrattansa penumbrittaan penumbrittansa instructive — — comitative — penumbrineen penumbrinensa

Synonyms

• (part of a shadow): puolivarjo

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /peːˈnum.bra/, [peːˈnʊmbrä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /peˈnum.bra/, [peˈnumbrä]

Noun

pēnumbra f (genitive pēnumbrae); first declension

1. (New Latin) Alternative form of paenumbra.

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	pēnumbra	pēnumbrae
Genitive	pēnumbrae	pēnumbrārum
Dative	pēnumbrae	pēnumbrīs
Accusative	pēnumbram	pēnumbrās
Ablative	pēnumbrā	pēnumbrīs
Vocative	pēnumbra	pēnumbrae

Portuguese

Etymology

From New Latin penumbra, from Latin paene (“almost”) + umbra (“shadow”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /peˈnũ.bɾɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /peˈnũ.bɾɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /peˈnũ.bɾa/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɨˈnũ.bɾɐ/

• Hyphenation: pe‧num‧bra

Noun

penumbra f (plural penumbras)

1. situation of low light

Further reading

• “penumbra” in iDicionário Aulete.
• “penumbra” in Dicionário inFormal.
• “penumbra” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
• “penumbra” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024.
• “penumbra” in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa.
• “penumbra” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Romanian

Noun

penumbra f

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of penumbră

Spanish

Etymology

From New Latin penumbra, from Latin paene (“almost”) + umbra (“shadow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /peˈnumbɾa/ [peˈnũm.bɾa]
• Rhymes: -umbɾa
• Syllabification: pe‧num‧bra

Noun

penumbra f (plural penumbras)

1. half-light
   • 2010 April, Joaquín Londáiz Montiel, Crónicas de la Atlántida, Montena, →ISBN, page 31:

     La estancia se encontraba sumida en una inquietante penumbra.

     The room was immersed in a disturbing half-light.

2. shadow, shade
   • 1926, Federico García Lorca, Oda a salvador Dalí:

     El mundo tiene sordas penumbras y desorden,
     en los primeros términos que el humano frecuenta.
     Pero ya las estrellas ocultando paisajes,
     señalan el esquema perfecto de sus órbitas.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. penumbra

Further reading

• “penumbra”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014