Heliacal
Word of the Day
What is Heliacal?
adjective
Relating to or near the sun; especially of a star’s first visible rising just before sunrise.
Pronunciation
Why This Word?
Chosen to celebrate dawn-watchers and calendar-makers as summer intensifies.
Examples of Use
Here's how this word appears in everyday language:
Priests once timed rituals to a heliacal event.
The comet’s heliacal visibility was brief.
Heliacal dawns burned gold over the desert.
Word Origins
Greek hēliakos “of the sun,” from hēlios “sun”
Common in archaeoastronomy: “heliacal rising of Sirius.”
First appearance in English: 17th century
Word Family
Related forms of this word:
-
Adjective:
Solar cycles set the pace.
-
Adjective:
Sidereal time differs from solar time.
-
Adjective:
He liked the helical staircase.
Around the World
How this word appears in other languages:
- Spanish: helíaco
- French: héliaque
- German: heliakal
- Italian: eliaco
- Portuguese: heliacal / heliaco
If you Already Know This Word
If you've mastered this word, try these more advanced alternatives:
Solar
Pertaining to the sun broadly; heliacal is positional timing.
Cosmical rising
Star rises at sunset; heliacal is at sunrise.
Acronychal rising
Star rises at sunset; another calendar marker.
Fun Facts
- Sirius’s heliacal rising once marked Nile floods.
- Atmospheric extinction delays true first visibility.
Cultural Usage
- Calendrical stones align with heliacal risings.
- Solar deities coincide with heliacal phenomena.
Common Mistakes
Not “helical” (spiral-shaped); one letter changes everything.
Micro Story
The festival traditionally starts with the heliacal rising of the star.