umbrella

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: um=brel=la

CIDE DICTIONARY

umbrella, n. [It. ombrella, fr. ombra a shade, L. umbra; cf. L. umbella a sunshade, a parasol. Cf. Umbel, Umbrage.].

•  A shade, screen, or guard, carried in the hand for sheltering the person from the rays of the sun, or from rain or snow. It is formed of silk, cotton, or other fabric, extended on strips of whalebone, steel, or other elastic material, inserted in, or fastened to, a rod or stick by means of pivots or hinges, in such a way as to allow of being opened and closed with ease. See Parasol.  [1913 Webster]

  "Underneath the umbrella's oily shed."  [1913 Webster]
•  The umbrellalike disk, or swimming bell, of a jellyfish.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any marine tectibranchiate gastropod of the genus Umbrella, having an umbrella-shaped shell; -- called also umbrella shell.  [1913 Webster]

Umbrella ant (Zoöl.), the sauba ant; -- so called because it carries bits of leaves over its back when foraging. Called also parasol ant. -- Umbrella bird (Zoöl.), a South American bird (Cephalopterus ornatus) of the family Cotingidæ. It is black, with a large and handsome crest consisting of a mass of soft, glossy blue feathers curved outward at the tips. It also has a cervical plume consisting of a long, cylindrical dermal process covered with soft hairy feathers. Called also dragoon bird. -- Umbrella leaf (Bot.), an American perennial herb (Dyphylleia cymosa), having very large peltate and lobed radical leaves. -- Umbrella shell. (Zoöl.) See Umbrella, 3. -- Umbrella tree (Bot.), a kind of magnolia (Magnolia Umbrella) with the large leaves arranged in umbrellalike clusters at the ends of the branches. It is a native of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky. Other plants in various countries are called by this name, especially a kind of screw pine (Pandanus odoratissimus).

OXFORD DICTIONARY

umbrella, n.
1 a light portable device for protection against rain, strong sun, etc., consisting of a usu. circular canopy of cloth mounted by means of a collapsible metal frame on a central stick.
2 protection or patronage.
3 (often attrib.) a coordinating or unifying agency (umbrella organization).
4 a screen of fighter aircraft or a curtain of fire put up as a protection against enemy aircraft.
5 Zool. the gelatinous disc of a jellyfish etc., which it contracts and expands to move through the water.

Idiom

umbrella bird any S. American bird of the genus Cephalopterus, with a black radiating crest and long wattles. umbrella pine
1 = stone pine.
2 a tall Japanese evergreen conifer, Sciadopitys verticillata, with leaves in umbrella-like whorls. umbrella stand a stand for holding closed upright umbrellas. umbrella tree a small magnolia, Magnolia tripetala, with leaves in a whorl like an umbrella.

Derivative

umbrellaed adj. umbrella-like adj.

Etymology

It. ombrella, dimin. of ombra shade f. L umbra: see UMBRA

THESAURUS

umbrella

aegis, agency, air cover, air raid, air support, arm guard, awning, backstop, beach umbrella, blind, bombing, brolly, buffer, bulwark, bumbershoot, bumper, chute, contraceptive, copyright, cover, coverage, crash helmet, curtain, cushion, dashboard, dodger, drape, drapery, drogue chute, dry run, face mask, fender, finger guard, foot guard, fuse, gamp, goggles, governor, guard, guardrail, hand guard, handrail, hard hat, harness, helmet, insulation, interlock, knee guard, knuckle guard, laminated glass, life preserver, lifeline, light shield, lightning conductor, lightning rod, mask, milk run, mission, mudguard, nose guard, pack, pad, padding, palladium, parachute, parachute jump, parasol, patent, patronage, pilot, preventive, prophylactic, protection, protective clothing, protective umbrella, reconnaissance, reconnaissance mission, safeguard, safety, safety glass, safety plug, safety rail, safety shoes, safety switch, safety valve, scramble, screen, seat belt, shade, shader, shadow, shield, shin guard, shroud lines, shuttle raid, sky dive, sortie, strafing, sun helmet, sunblind, sunshade, training mission, veil, vent, windscreen, windshield

ROGET THESAURUS

umbrella

Refuge

N refuge, sanctuary, retreat, fastness, acropolis, keep, last resort, ward, prison, asylum, ark, home, refuge for the destitute, almshouse, hiding place, sanctum sanctorum, roadstead, anchorage, breakwater, mole, port, haven, harbor, harbor of refuge, seaport, pier, jetty, embankment, quay, covert, cover, shelter, screen, lee wall, wing, shield, umbrella, barrier, dashboard, dasher, wall, fort, anchor, kedge, grapnel, grappling iron, sheet anchor, killick, mainstay, support, cheek, ballast, jury mast, vent-peg, safety valve, blow-off valve, safety lamp, lightning rod, lightning conductor, safety belt, airbag, seat belt, antilock brakes, antiskid tires, snow tires, means of escape, lifeboat, lifejacket, life buoy, swimming belt, cork jacket, parachute, plank, steppingstone, emergency landing, safeguard, any port in a storm, bibere venenum in auro, valet anchora virtus.

Covering

N covering, cover, baldachin, baldachino, baldaquin, canopy, tilt, awning, tent, marquee, tente d'abri, umbrella, parasol, sunshade, veil (shade), shield, roof, ceiling, thatch, tile, pantile, pentile, tiling, slates, slating, leads, barrack, plafond, planchment, tiling, shed, top, lid, covercle, door, operculum, bulkhead, bandage, plaster, lint, wrapping, dossil, finger stall, coverlet, counterpane, sheet, quilt, tarpaulin, blanket, rug, drugget, housing, antimacassar, eiderdown, numdah, pillowcase, pillowslip, linoleum, saddle cloth, blanket cloth, tidy, tilpah, apishamore, integument, tegument, skin, pellicle, fleece, fell, fur, leather, shagreen, hide, pelt, peltry, cordwain, derm, robe, buffalo robe, cuticle, scarfskin, epidermis, clothing, mask, peel, crust, bark, rind, cortex, husk, shell, coat, eggshell, glume, capsule, sheath, sheathing, pod, cod, casing, case, theca, elytron, elytrum, involucrum, wrapping, wrapper, envelope, vesicle, corn husk, corn shuck, dermatology, conchology, testaceology, inunction, incrustation, superimposition, superposition, obduction, scale, veneer, facing, overlay, plate, silver plate, gold plate, copper plate, engobe, ormolu, Sheffield plate, pavement, coating, paint, varnish, plating, barrel plating, anointing, enamel, epitaxial deposition, vapor deposition, ground, whitewash, plaster, spackel, stucco, compo, cerement, ointment, covering, superimposed, overlaid, plated, cutaneous, dermal, cortical, cuticular, tegumentary, skinny, scaly, squamous, covered, imbricated, loricated, armor plated, ironclad, under cover, cowled, cucullate, dermatoid, encuirassed, hooded, squamiferous, tectiform, vaginate.

Shade

N shade, awning, parasol, sunshade, umbrella, chick, portiere, screen, curtain, shutter, blind, gauze, veil, chador, mantle, mask, cloud, mist, gathering, of clouds, umbrage, glade, shadow, beach umbrella, folding umbrella, shady, umbrageous, welcome ye shades! ye bowery thickets hail.