Dec
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- (Astronomy) Declination: The angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the celestial equator, expressed in degrees. It is used with right ascension to specify positions on the celestial sphere.
- December: The twelfth and final month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.
Usage Examples
Noun (Astronomy):
- The star's coordinates are given by its right ascension and dec.
- To locate the nebula, you need to know its dec.
Noun (Month):
- Her birthday is in Dec.
- The project is due by the end of Dec.
Advanced Usage
- Abbreviation in Context: "Dec" is a standard written abbreviation. In astronomical contexts, it is a technical term often used in coordinates (e.g., RA 5h 34m, Dec +22° 01'). As a month, it is commonly used in informal writing, dates, and calendars.
- Capitalization: When referring to the month, it is always capitalized as "Dec." When used as the abbreviation for declination in astronomy, it is typically written in lowercase ("dec").
Variants and Related Words
- Declination (n): The full term for the astronomical meaning.
- December (n): The full name of the month.
- Decembrist (n): A historical term for a participant in the Russian revolt of December 1825.
Synonyms
- For Declination: Celestial latitude (in some specific contexts).
- For December: The twelfth month, Yulemonth (archaic), the last month.
Related Phrases
- RA and Dec: A common phrase in astronomy linking right ascension and declination as the celestial coordinate system.
- The catalog lists objects by their RA and dec.
Notes on Meaning
This is a clear case of a homograph—a word with the same spelling but different meanings. The meaning is entirely dependent on context: - In an astronomical or scientific context, "dec" almost exclusively means declination. - In general writing, scheduling, or date-related contexts, "dec" is understood as the abbreviation for December.
Noun
- (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial body north or to the south of the celestial equator; expressed in degrees; used with right ascension to specify positions on the celestial sphere
- the last (12th) month of the year