The Collaborative International Dictionary
Annular \An"nu*lar\, a. [L. annularis, fr. annulis ring: cf. F. annulaire.]
Pertaining to, or having the form of, a ring; forming a ring; ringed; ring-shaped; as, annular fibers.
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Banded or marked with circles.
Annular eclipse (Astron.), an eclipse of the sun in which the moon at the middle of the eclipse conceals the central part of the sun's disk, leaving a complete ring of light around the border.
Eclipse \E*clipse"\ ([-e]*kl[i^]ps"), n. [F. ['e]clipse, L. eclipsis, fr. Gr. 'e`kleipsis, prop., a forsaking, failing, fr. 'eklei`pein to leave out, forsake; 'ek out + lei`pein to leave. See Ex-, and Loan.]
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(Astron.) An interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon, or other luminous body, by the intervention of some other body, either between it and the eye, or between the luminous body and that illuminated by it. A lunar eclipse is caused by the moon passing through the earth's shadow; a solar eclipse, by the moon coming between the sun and the observer. A satellite is eclipsed by entering the shadow of its primary. The obscuration of a planet or star by the moon or a planet, though of the nature of an eclipse, is called an occultation. The eclipse of a small portion of the sun by Mercury or Venus is called a transit of the planet.
Note: In ancient times, eclipses were, and among unenlightened people they still are, superstitiously regarded as forerunners of evil fortune, a sentiment of which occasional use is made in literature.
That fatal and perfidious bark, Built in the eclipse, and rigged with curses dark.
--Milton. -
The loss, usually temporary or partial, of light, brilliancy, luster, honor, consciousness, etc.; obscuration; gloom; darkness.
All the posterity of our fist parents suffered a perpetual eclipse of spiritual life.
--Sir W. Raleigh.As in the soft and sweet eclipse, When soul meets soul on lovers' lips.
--Shelley.Annular eclipse. (Astron.) See under Annular.
Cycle of eclipses. See under Cycle.
Wiktionary
n. (context astronomy English) a solar eclipse in which the thin outer disk of the sun can be seen as a ring around the moon
WordNet
n. only a thin outer disk of the sun can be seen
Usage examples of "annular eclipse".
That's an 'annular eclipse' and enough sunlight then slips past the Moon to wash out everything.
Listen, what about that annular eclipse you mentioned a while ago?
The weather promised to be fair for the last night of the Carnival as well as for tomorrow's registration and attendant ceremonies, and for that reason the Department of Meteorology urgently reminded everyone to refrain from looking directly at the sun during the annular eclipse predicted for shortly after dawn.
They will tell you where on Earth to stand, when you have to be there, and whether it will be a partial eclipse, a total eclipse, or an annular eclipse.