Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

sublunary

/sʌbˈlunəɹi/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.19 in modern English

Syllables
sub-lun-a-ry
IPA
/sʌbˈlunəɹi/
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Situated beneath the moon; specifically, between the moon and the earth.

Literary

adj

In or of this world (as opposed to heaven, etc.); earthly, terrestrial.

Literary

adj

Inferior, subordinate.

Literary

noun

A person or thing which is of the (material) world.

Literary

noun

A less important person; an inferior, a subordinate.

Literary

Example Sentences

Etymology

PIE word *upó The adjective is a learned borrowing from Late Latin sublūnāris (“sublunar, sublunary”) + English -ary (suffix meaning of or pertaining to forming adjectives). Sublūnāris is derived from Latin sub- (prefix meaning ‘below, beneath, under’) + lūnāris (“of or pertaining to the moon, lunar”) (from lūna (“moon”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“bright; to see; to shine”)) + -āris (suffix forming adjectives denoting a pertaining to or relationship)). By surface analysis, sub- + lunary. The noun is derived from the adjective.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /sʌbˈlunəɹi/
  • British English: /sʌbˈluːnəɹi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Antonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce sublunary?
The recorded pronunciation is /sʌbˈlunəɹi/.
What does sublunary mean?
Situated beneath the moon; specifically, between the moon and the earth.
Where does sublunary come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce sublunary

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “sublunary”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/sʌbˈlunəɹi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “sublunary”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “sublunary” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.