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sun
/sʌn/
star at the center of the solar system
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
The star at the center of our solar system appears to move across the sky from morning to evening.
general
The star at the center of the solar system that provides light and heat to Earth.
Plants need sunlight to grow.
Plants require the light and energy from the sun to develop.
She woke up early to watch the sunrise.
She got up before dawn to observe the sun appearing on the horizon.
Often capitalized in astronomical contexts (e.g., 'the Sun').
astronomical
Any star that is the center of a planetary system.
Astronomers discovered a distant sun with multiple exoplanets.
Scientists found a star in a faraway system that has several planets orbiting it.
Used metaphorically to describe a guiding or central figure.
Collocations
sunrisethe time in the morning when the sun appearssunsetthe time in the evening when the sun disappears below the horizonunder the sunanywhere or everything imaginable
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Capitalization
Use a capital 'S' only when referring to the Sun as a proper noun (e.g., 'the Sun is a star'). In general contexts, it remains lowercase (e.g., 'the sun provides energy').
Gold Rule
Literal vs. Figurative
Distinguish between the literal celestial body (e.g., 'the sun is 93 million miles away') and figurative uses (e.g., 'she is the sun of her family's life').
Word Origin
From Old English 'sunne', derived from Proto-Germanic '*sunnǭ', which has cognates in other Germanic languages (e.g., German 'Sonne', Dutch 'zon'). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European '*sóh₂wl̥' (sun), related to Latin 'sol' and Greek 'hēlios'.
Usage Notes
The word 'sun' is typically lowercase unless used as part of a proper noun (e.g., 'Sun Microsystems'). In poetic or formal contexts, it may be personified or capitalized.
English Dictionary