What does "sublunary" mean?
A person or thing which is of the (material) world.
Sublunary
/sʌbˈluːnəɹi/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person or thing which is of the (material) world.
- Grammar: sublunary is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: terrestrial, cislunar, earthly, sublunar.
- Useful contrasts: superlunary, celestial, heavenly.
- Usage evidence: "Isn't he one of the least ordinary men?" "Oh! He's the most exquisite of sublunary beings!"
How to use "sublunary"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sublunary" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sublunary" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sublunary" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sublunary" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sublunary" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "terrestrial" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sublunary", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person or thing which is of the (material) world. in-plural, literary
"She vvas ſoaring upvvard to her native ſkies. She vvas got above earth, by means, too, of the Earth-born: And ſomething extraordinary vvas to be done to keep her vvith us Sublunaries."
- 2 A less important person; an inferior, a subordinate. in-plural, literary
Adjective
- 1 Situated beneath the moon; specifically, between the moon and the earth. historical, literary, not-comparable
"Patritius [Franciscus Patricius?] doth not onely auerre this, but that the Sea is as a ſublunarie Planet, mouing it ſelfe, and moued by the ſuperiour bodies to effect the generation of things: […]"
- 2 In or of this world (as opposed to heaven, etc.); earthly, terrestrial. broadly, literary, not-comparable
"Dull ſublunary lovers love / (VVhoſe ſoule is ſenſe) cannot admit / Abſence, becauſe it doth remove / Thoſe things vvhich elemented it."
- 3 Of or relating to the material world (as opposed to clerical, sacred, or spiritual); ephemeral, temporal, worldly. broadly, literary, not-comparable
"Whither now, O whither do ye rove, O my thoughts? Can ye hope to find rest, in any of these sublunary contentments?"
- 4 Inferior, subordinate. figuratively, literary, not-comparable
"For Simonie doth vſually poyſon and corrupt tvvo VVell-heads, vvhence the ſtreames of good life doe generally flovv vnto all the people; that is, the Parſon, and the Patron. Theſe be, as the tvvo great Lights in the Firmament of the Church, from vvhom the ſublunary and ſubordinate people receiue the direction and conduct of their life."
Adjective
- 1 of this earth wordnet
- 2 situated between the earth and the moon wordnet
Antonyms
Example
""Isn't he one of the least ordinary men?" "Oh! He's the most exquisite of sublunary beings!""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sublunary"?
Common synonyms include: terrestrial, cislunar, earthly, sublunar, worldly.
How do you use "sublunary" in a sentence?
"Isn't he one of the least ordinary men?" "Oh! He's the most exquisite of sublunary beings!"
How do you pronounce "sublunary"?
Pronounced /sʌbˈluːnəɹi/.
Etymology
PIE word *upó The adjective is a learned borrowing from Late Latin sublūnāris (“sublunar, sublunary”) + English -ary (suffix meaning of or pertaining to forming adjectives). Sublūnāris is derived from Latin sub- (prefix meaning ‘below, beneath, under’) + lūnāris (“of or pertaining to the moon, lunar”) (from lūna (“moon”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“bright; to see; to shine”)) + -āris (suffix forming adjectives denoting a pertaining to or relationship)). By surface analysis, sub- + lunary. The noun is derived from the adjective.