Pronunciation: [ˈʌmbɹə] (IPA) 
The word "umbra" is spelled with the letters U-M-B-R-A, and is usually pronounced /ˈʌm.brə/. The sound of 'u' in 'umbra' is the short vowel /ʌ/, as in 'hut' or 'nut'. The 'm' and 'b' sounds are pronounced individually, followed by the schwa sound /ə/ in the middle, and the 'r' sound at the end. 'Umbra' is a Latin word that means 'shadow', which makes it a fitting name for the darker part of a shadow during an eclipse.
Umbra is a noun that refers to the darkest part or shadow created by an object blocking light. It is derived from the Latin word "umbra," meaning shadow or shade.
In astronomy and specifically during an eclipse, umbra refers to the region in which direct sunlight is completely blocked by the Moon or another celestial body. When the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, it casts a shadow onto the Earth's surface. The central, cone-shaped portion of this shadow is known as the umbra. It is within the umbra where the eclipse is total, as the Moon completely obscures the Sun.
Beyond astronomy, umbra can also be used in a metaphorical sense to describe the darkest, most obscure part of something. It can represent the hidden, concealed, or less known aspects of a situation or an individual's personality. In literature and poetry, the term is often used to depict deep emotional struggles or the hidden depths of the human psyche.
Overall, the term umbra encompasses both the literal shadow created by the obstruction of light and the metaphorical idea of an obscured or hidden aspect, whether relating to astronomy or metaphorical contexts.
In astron., the dark cone projected from a planet or satellite on the side opposite the sun.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "umbra" comes from Latin. It is derived from the noun "umbra" (also spelled "umbella"), meaning shade, shadow, or darkness. In Latin, "umbra" referred to the shadow cast by an object, and it also had metaphorical extensions, commonly associated with death or the underworld. This Latin word has remained relatively unchanged in its borrowing into English.
