Lunar

lū′nar, adj. belonging to the moon: measured by the revolutions of the moon: caused by the moon: like the moon—also Lū′nary .— ns. Lū′nacy , a kind of madne formerly supposed to be affected by the moon: insanity; Lunā′rian , Lū′narist , a student of lunar phenomena; Lū′nary , the moonwort fern.— adjs. Lū′nāte , -d , formed like a half-moon: crescent-shaped; Lū′natic , affected with lunacy.— n. a person so affected: a madman ( De lunatico inquirendo , the title of the writ or commi ion for inquiry into the mental state of an alleged lunatic).— n. Lunā′tion , the time between two revolutions of the moon: a lunar month.— adjs. Lū′niform , moon-shaped; Lū′nisolar , resulting from the united action of the sun and moon: compounded of the revolution of the sun and the moon.— n. Lū′nula , a crescent-like appearance, esp. the whitish area at the base of the nails.— adjs. Lū′nulate , -d ( bot. ), shaped like a small crescent.— ns. Lū′nule , Lū′nulet , anything in form like a small crescent; Lū′nulite , a small circular fo il coral.— Lunar caustic , fused crystals of nitrate of silver, applied to ulcers, .; Lunar cycle = Metonic cycle (q.v.); Lunar month (see Month ); Lunar observation , an observation of the moon's distance from a star for the purpose of finding the longitude; Lunar rainbow (see Rainbow , under Rain ); Lunar theory , a term employed to denote the a prior i deduction of the moon's motions from the principles of gravitation; Lunar year (see Year ). [L. lunar is — luna , the moon— lucēre , to shine.]