eclipsing
UK[ɪˈklɪpsɪŋ]US[ɪˈklɪpsɪŋ]
v
(of a celestial body) obscuring the light from or to another celestial body.
v
making someone or something seem less significant or impressive by comparison.
Morpheme Breakdown
ec
lips
ing
ec
lips
ing
Etymology
The word originates from the Greek ekleipsis, meaning "a failing, abandonment, or eclipse," which is a combination of ek- (out) and leipein (to leave). The literal sense is "to leave out" or "to fail to appear." This was adopted into Latin as eclipsis and later into Old English as eclepse, specifically describing the astronomical phenomenon where one celestial body "leaves" or fails to be seen because another passes in front of it. The modern verb "eclipsing" retains this core logic of causing something to be absent or obscured, extending metaphorically to the idea of outshining or surpassing someone, thereby causing their significance to "leave" the spotlight.
Analysis
Structure: ec + lips + ing
- ec (sense: out, away) - A prefix from Greek ek, via Latin ex-.
- lips (sense: to leave, to fail) - From the Greek verb leipein (to leave).
- ing (sense: present participle/gerund suffix) - From Old English -ende, -ung.
Examples
The moon is eclipsing the sun, casting a shadow on the Earth.
Her remarkable talent is in danger of eclipsing that of her more experienced colleagues.
The new skyscraper is eclipsing all the older buildings around it.