ALMUCANTAR


Meaning of ALMUCANTAR in English

[ ˌalmə'kantə ]

■ noun Astronomy

1》 a circle on the celestial sphere parallel to the horizon.

2》 a telescope mounted on a float resting on mercury, used to determine stellar altitude and azimuth.

Origin

ME: from med. L. ~ath or obs. Fr. ~a , from Arab. almuḳanṭarāt 'lines of celestial latitude', based on al 'the' + ḳanṭara 'arch'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.