sun

1 of 3

noun

1
a
often capitalized : the luminous celestial body around which the earth and other planets revolve, from which they receive heat and light, which is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and which has a mean distance from earth of about 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 kilometers), a linear diameter of 864,000 miles (1,390,000 kilometers), and a mass 332,000 times greater than earth
b
: a celestial body like the sun : star
2
: the heat or light radiated from the sun
played in the sun all day
3
: one resembling the sun (as in warmth or brilliance)
4
: the rising or setting of the sun
from sun to sun
5

sun

2 of 3

verb

sunned; sunning

transitive verb

: to expose to or as if to the rays of the sun

intransitive verb

: to sun oneself

Sun

3 of 3

abbreviation

Sunday
Phrases
in the sun
: in the public eye
under the sun
: in the world : on earth

Examples of sun in a Sentence

Noun The rain has stopped and the sun is shining. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. the warmth of the sun's rays They dream of traveling to distant suns. Try to keep out of the sun. The cat lay basking in the sun. Verb People sunned themselves on the hillside.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Other protective actions include staying out of the sun in the middle of the day and seeking shade when possible.5 Skin Care Using gentle, non-irritating skin products can ease symptoms. Cindy Kuzma, Health, 16 Mar. 2024 On April 8, the moon will obscure the entire face of the sun, resulting in a few minutes-long sudden transformation of day into night. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 Optimal sun protection starts off with good sunscreen. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024 And doughnuts that capture the sun’s disappearing act with the help of buttercream frosting. Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 This summer-flowering species likes the sun and is often trained into a tree 15 to 25 feet high. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2024 When aiming the tube, don’t look at the sun through the pinhole. Daniel Johnson, Discover Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Clouds and sun with showers around, warm; breezy in the afternoon. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 14 Mar. 2024 The astrologer for British Vogue Alice Bell suggests considering the element of your sun sign as the easiest way to consider the best trip for you. Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
And this is me in shorts and a T-shirt hiding under a blanket sunning on a grassy knoll and my marmot is with me. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2024 Mid-February wasn’t a bad time for a road trip: As Detroit got coated with snow, the DSO was sunning itself in West Palm Beach. Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024 Parks officials recently installed faux alligators and islands to provide more places for birds and turtles to sun themselves, The Arizona Republic reported. Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2024 And this is me in shorts and a T-shirt hiding under a blanket sunning on a grassy knoll. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2024 And go ahead and sleep in: Your best opportunity to spot squirrels sunning on tree limbs is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 2. T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024 Her guiding skills led us to incredible sightings, including a pair of lions chasing a herd of kudu, a pod of hippos sunning themselves, and dozens of elephants enjoying a mud bath. Sandra MacGregor, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2023 As a result, hippos and crocodiles can often be observed sharing the same water pool or sunning alongside each other on the shore. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 15 Nov. 2023 Sitting and sunning by the 14th floor pool puts you steps away from the poolside cafe Bella’s Rooftop Bar. Essence, 4 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sunne, from Old English; akin to Old High German sunna sun, Latin sol — more at solar

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of sun was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sun

Cite this Entry

“Sun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sun. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sun

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: the star around which the planets revolve, from which they receive heat and light, and which has an average distance from the earth of about 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 kilometers), a diameter of 864,000 miles (1,390,000 kilometers), and a mass 332,000 times greater than earth
b
: a star like the sun
2
: the heat or light given off by the sun : sunshine
3
: one resembling the sun usually in brilliance
4
: the rising or setting of the sun
from sun to sun

sun

2 of 2 verb
sunned; sunning
1
: to expose to or as if to the rays of the sun
2
: to sun oneself

More from Merriam-Webster on sun

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