ephemeris

E1P3H4E1M3E1R1I1S1
UK/ɪˈfɛməɹɪs/US/ɪˈfɛməɹəs/

noun

A journal or diary.

Similar
almanac
OriginNew Latin ephēmeris ← Ancient Greek ἐφημερίς →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounephemeris (plural ephemerides or ephemerises)

plural ephemerides · plural ephemerises

  1. obsoleteA journal or diary.

    Wee heard the King was solacing at the Caspian Sea, whither now wee are travelling. Till then let us keepe an Ephemerides or day-journey.

    1638, Thomas Herbert, Some Yeares Travels, section I
  2. astronomyA table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year; normally given as right ascension and declination.

    […]Mr. Samuel got 150 pounds of bread, with a small quantity of rum and wine, also a quadrant and compass; but he was forbidden on pain of death to touch either map, ephemeris, book of astronomical observations, sextant, timekeeper, or any of my surveys or drawings.

    1792, William Bligh, chapter 13, in A Voyage to the South Sea

    Synonyms: almanac

  3. Computer software that calculates the apparent position of celestial bodies.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year; normally given as right ascension and declination.

Similar
almanac

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἐφημερίς“diary, calendar”
  2. New Latinephēmeris
  3. Englishephemeris

From New Latin ephēmeris, from Ancient Greek ἐφημερίς (ephēmerís, “diary, calendar”), from ἐφήμερος (ephḗmeros, “daily”).

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan efemèrides
  • efemèridestable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Chinese Mandarin 皇曆 /皇历
  • 皇曆 /皇历 (huánglì)table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Finnish efemeridi
  • efemeriditable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
French éphéméride, éphémérides
  • éphéméridetable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
  • éphéméridestable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
German Ephemeride
  • Ephemeridetable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Greek αστρονομική εφημερίδα
  • αστρονομική εφημερίδα (astronomikí efimerída)table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Hindi अब्दकोश
  • अब्दकोश (abdakoś)table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Irish eifimiris
  • eifimiristable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Italian effemeride
  • effemeridetable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Persian زیج, زیگ
  • زیجtable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
  • زیگ (zig)table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
  • دفتر سال (daftar-e sâl)table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Polish efemeryda
  • efemerydatable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Portuguese efeméride
  • efeméridetable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Russian эфемери́да
  • эфемери́да (efemerída)table giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Spanish efemérides
  • efeméridestable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Swedish efemerid
  • efemeridtable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Turkish efemeris, gök günlüğü
  • efemeristable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
  • gök günlüğütable giving the apparent position of celestial bodies throughout the year
Cite this entry
APA

ephemeris. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ephemeris

MLA

“ephemeris.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ephemeris. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ephemeris,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ephemeris.

Source: ephemeris on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.