Word of the Day : February 16, 2019

gibbous \JIB-us\ adjective

Definition

1 a : marked by convexity or swelling

b of the moon or a planet : seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated

2 : having a hump : humpbacked

Did You Know?

The adjective gibbous has its origins in the Latin noun gibbus, meaning "hump," and in the Late Latin adjective gibbosus, meaning "humpbacked," which Middle English adopted in the 14th century as gibbous. Gibbous has been used to describe the rounded body parts of humans and animals (such as the back of a camel) or to describe the shape of certain flowers (such as snapdragons). The term is most often identified, however, with the study of astronomy. A gibbous moon is one that is more than a half-moon but less than full.

Aired February 16, 2019

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