PoliticsAugust 17, 2026

sundials

SUN-dy-ulz

Definition

Simple devices that measure time by observing the position of a shadow cast by the sun on a marked surface.

Etymology

Derived from the Old English 'sunne' (sun) and 'dæl' (a part or portion), the word describes an instrument that indicates the time of day by the position of a shadow.

In the news

The word is listed among various historical and traditional tools, such as pendulums and hourglasses, that humans have used to track the movement of light and dark throughout history.

The hidden politics of time: How clocks, calendars — and now-contentious time zones — came to be

Read the full article ↗

Colorado Politics

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.