umbrella

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian ombrella, umbrella (“parasol, sunshade”), dim. of ombra (“shade”), from Latin umbra (“shadow”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ʌmˈbɹɛlə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlə

Noun

umbrella (plural umbrellas)

An umbrella (1)

1. Cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun.

   Quick, grab that umbrella before you get rained on!

   • 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, OCLC 7780546; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., 55 Fifth Avenue, [1933], OCLC 2666860, page 0091:

     There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

2. Generally, anything that provides protection.

   The fighters provide a defensive air umbrella over the battle group.

3. Something that covers a wide range of concepts, purposes, groups, etc.

   The test facility was established under the umbrella of the company's quality program.

4. The main body of a jellyfish, excluding the tentacles.

   Jellyfish are composed of more than 90% water and most of their umbrella mass is made up of gelatinous material.

Verb

umbrella (third-person singular simple present umbrellas, present participle umbrellaing, simple past and past participle umbrellaed)

1. (transitive) To cover or protect, as if by an umbrella.
   • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, “Life Loves Living,”

     Experts with saws and ladders came and lopped off the lower branches. This sent the tree's growth rushing violently to her head in a lush overhanging which umbrellaed the House of All Sorts.

   • 2008, Jonathan Kellerman, Bad Love: Alex Delaware 8:

     Huge pine and eucalyptus umbrellaed the grounds, airconditioning the morning.

2. (intransitive) To form the dome shape of an open umbrella.
   • 2011, B. A. Rothwell, The Peaceful Queen, page 31:

     Bright yellow gowns fit them tightly and umbrellaed from their waist to just below the knees.

3. (intransitive) To move like a jellyfish.
   • 1997, National Geographic Traveler, page 36:

     The light catches the filigreed tendrils and graceful motion of the jellies, their orange bodies umbrella-ing along like fairy parasols come to life.

Anagrams

• umbellar

Etymology

Borrowed from English umbrella.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʊmbˈrɛlːɐ/

Noun

umbrella f

1. umbrella

Noun

umbrella f (plural umbrellas)

1. (Surmiran, Vallader) umbrella, parasol