almucantar

English

Etymology

From mediaeval Latin almucantarath or French almicantarat, from Arabic المقنطرات‎ (al-muqanŧarāt) ‘circles of celestial latitude’, formed from the plural of قَنْطَرَة‎ (qanṭara, “arch”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ælməˈkæntə/

Noun

almucantar (plural almucantars)

(archaic) a small circle on the celestial sphere, parallel to the horizon, that is used in astronomy and navigation to show altitude of a star or any other heavenly body.

Derived terms

almucantar staff

Translations

small circle on the celestial sphere

Irish: almacantar m, líne chomhthreomhar airde f
Italian: almucantarat m

Polish: almukantarat (pl) m
Portuguese: almucântara f

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