vernal equinox
1
7.3
- noun
- /ˈvɜrnəl ˈɛkwɪnɒks/
:
equinoccio de primavera
- The vernal equinox marks the moment when day and night are of equal length as spring begins.
- the vernal equinox in March
- the vernal equinox in spring
- the day of the vernal equinox
And that that shifts the vernal equinox backwards in the calendar.
- And that that shifts the vernal equinox backwards in the calendar.
Examples
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This is the vernal equinox at the dawn of the age of Leo, right on the cusp of Virgo Leo.
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Here, the location of the sun at the vernal equinox (March 21) is shown to drift over a 6,000-year period.
Blog text (13) -
One day before the vernal equinox.
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And that that shifts the vernal equinox backwards in the calendar.
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The light will return in its wake, increasing constantly so that by the vernal equinox the light of day will once again be equal to the dark of night.
Blog text (18) -
So, roughly every 2,150 years, the sun's position at the time of the March, or vernal, equinox...
Blog text (13) -
There is a new sun, dottir solar, the daughter of the sun (which can also mean a new star, after the old constellation has disappeared at the vernal equinox).
Academic text (2000) -
Every 2,200 years or so, a new constellation rises heliacally—right before sunrise—at the vernal equinox.
Academic text (2000) -
On March 21, we celebrate the vernal equinox, signifying the start of spring.
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Many cultures hold festivals to honor the vernal equinox, which occurs around March 21 each year.
Synonyms
1
4.3
A time in early spring when day and night are about the same length, around March 21 in the north
The time around March 20 when day and night are nearly equal and spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere
Antonyms
1
6.1
A time when day and night are about the same length that marks the start of autumn
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'vernal' (relating to spring) modifies 'equinox' (the event of equal day and night), so the meaning 'the equinox that occurs in spring' is directly derivable from the constituent words. This modifier+noun pattern and the concept are cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'equinoccio de primavera'), so a learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.
Etymology
Vernal equinox comes from words meaning vernal 'spring' and equinox 'equal night'. It names the moment in spring when day and night are nearly the same length, so it marks the start of spring.