occultation

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) An astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object is hidden by another celestial object that passes between it and the observer when the nearer object appears larger and completely hides the more distant object.
2. (countable, uncountable) The state of being occult (“hidden, undetected”).
3. (Shia, countable, uncountable) The disappearance of the Twelfth Imam, or Mahdi, who is believed alive and present in this world, but hidden until his reappearance at the end of time.

Synonyms

eclipse

conceal

concealing

concealment

hide

hiding

obscuration

screen

secretion

shading

shadow

shadowing

shelter

stealth

blackout

obsuration

Translations

occultation

occultazione

ocultación

ocultação

gizleme

ocultació

κάλυψη

ocultamiento

éclipse

dissimulation

eclisse

eclissi

bedekking

eclipse

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌɒkəlˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

Etymology

From Latin occultātiōnem, accusative singular of occultātiō (“concealment; insinuation”), from occultāre, present active infinitive of occultō (“to conceal, hide”); analysable as occult + -ation.