sunbeam

noun

sun·​beam ˈsən-ˌbēm How to pronounce sunbeam (audio)
: a ray of sunlight

Examples of sunbeam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On a frigid Wednesday afternoon, sunbeams poured into Maurice Sendak’s studio in Ridgefield, Conn., crisscrossing one another with the precision and warmth of the children’s books that were born in this room. Elisabeth Egan, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2024 Still, even if Sofia is brought low for a large part of the story, Brooks’ radiant performance is one of the chief sources of the movie’s levity, constantly breaking through like sunbeams through cloud. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2023 How Do Sharks See Underwater? Sharks, particularly species who operate in the deep zones of the ocean where sunbeams rarely penetrate the water, rely on their tapetum lucidum. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2023 The latest arrival is distinctly inspired by sunbeams–additionally, the line will be available in 18k yellow gold over silver. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 3 Oct. 2023 But Méndez turns the play into a moving character study that — moon-referencing title notwithstanding — is as sharp as a noon sunbeam. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2023 Also consoling were the calls of unfamiliar birds and the play of sharp sunbeams cutting through the thin twigs. Werner Herzog, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023 Bringing more natural light into the home was another request, so Cohen introduced a large staircase window and a second window in the dining room to allow sunbeams to spread far and wide. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 May 2023 Tropical plants, photos of exotic locales and brassy inlays are throughout, as well as the obligatory dog splayed on the floor in a sunbeam. Chase Difeliciantonio, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Apr. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near sunbeam

Cite this Entry

“Sunbeam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunbeam. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sunbeam

noun
sun·​beam -ˌbēm How to pronounce sunbeam (audio)
: a ray of sunlight

More from Merriam-Webster on sunbeam

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