sublunary

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Late Latin sublūnāris (“sublunar, sublunary”) + English -ary (suffix meaning of or pertaining to forming adjectives).^[1] 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.^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sʌbˈluːnəɹi/, /sʌbˈluːnɹi/, (archaic) /ˈsʌbl(j)uːnəɹɪ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /sʌbˈlunəɹi/
• Hyphenation: sub‧lun‧a‧ry

sublunary (not comparable) (literary)

1. (chiefly historical) Situated beneath the moon; specifically, between the moon and the earth.

   (beneath the moon): Synonym: sublunar

   (between the moon and earth): Synonym: cislunar

   Antonyms: superlunary, superlunar, translunar, translunary

   • 1614, Samuel Purchas, “[Asia.] A Generall Discourse of the Sea, and of the Seas in and about Asia.”, in Purchas His Pilgrimage. Or Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in All Ages and Places Discouered, from the Creation vnto this Present. […], 2nd edition, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, book V (Of the East-Indies, and of the Seas and Ilands about Asia, with Their Religions), page 512:

     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: […]

   • 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “A Digression of Divels, and How They Cause Melancholy”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 1, subsection 2, page 63:

     They [devils] are confined vntill the day of iudgement, to this ſublunary vvorld, and can vvorke no farther then the foure Elements, and as God permits them. VVherefore of theſe ſublunary Diuels, Pſellus [Michael Psellos] makes ſix kindes, fiery, aeriall, terreſtriall, vvatery, and ſubterranean Diuels, beſides thoſe Fairies, Satyres, Nymphs, &c.

   • 1713, Edward Young, “Book I”, in A Poem on the Last Day, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Edward Whistler, →OCLC, page 6:

     Ye Sublunary VVorlds avvake, avvake, / Ye Rulers of the Nations hear and ſhake?

2. (by extension)
   1. In or of this world (as opposed to heaven, etc.); earthly, terrestrial.

      Antonyms: celestial, ethereal, heavenly, otherworldly, unworldly

      • 1611 or 1612 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 194:

        Dull ſublunary lovers love / (VVhoſe ſoule is ſenſe) cannot admit / Abſence, becauſe it doth remove / Thoſe things vvhich elemented it.

      • 1642, [Thomas Browne], “[The First Part]”, in Religio Medici, London: […] Andrew Crooke, →OCLC, page 97:

        Philoſophers that opinioned the vvorlds deſtruction by fire, did never dreame of annihilation, vvhich is beyond the povver of ſublunary cauſes; for the laſt and proper action of that element [fire] is but vitrification, or a reduction of a body into Glaſſe, and therefore ſome of our Chymicks factiouſly affirme; yea, and urge Scripture for it, that at the laſt fire all ſhall be cryſtallized and reverberated into Glaſſe, vvhich is the utmoſt action of that element.

      • a. 1668 (date written), Jeremy Taylor, “Contemplations of the State of Man”, in Reginald Heber, editor, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, D.D. […], volume III, London: Ogle, Duncan, and Co. […]; and Richard Priestley, […], published 1822, →OCLC, chapter III, page 426:

        All Sublunary Things are contemptible, and of no Value.

      • 1695, John Dryden, “Preface of the Translator, with a Parallel, of Poetry and Painting”, in C[harles] A[lphonse] du Fresnoy, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, […], London: […] J[ohn] Heptinstall for W. Rogers, […], →OCLC, page v:

        [T]he Cœleſtial Bodies above the Moon being incorruptible, and not ſubject to change, remain'd for ever fair, and in perpetual order: On the contrary, all things vvhich are ſublunary are ſubject to change, to deformity, and to decay.

      • 1709, [Jonathan Swift], “Apollo Outwitted. […]”, in Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, London: […] John Morphew […], published 1711, →OCLC, page 400:

        OVID had vvarn'd her to bevvare, / Of Stroling God's, vvhoſe uſual Trade is, / Under pretence of Taking Air, / To Pick up Sublunary Ladies.

      • 1699 October 25 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1715, Robert South, “A Discourse Preached at Christ-Church, Oxon, before the University, October 15. 1699”, in Twelve Sermons Preached at Several Times, and upon Several Occasions, volume IV, London: […] G. James, for Jonah Bowyer […], →OCLC, page 533:

        All ſublunary Comforts imitate the Changeableneſs, as vvell as feel the Influence, of the Planet they are under.

      • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 261:

        [T]he Converſation vvhich employ'd the Hours betvveen Friday and I, vvas ſuch, as made the three Years vvhich vve liv'd there together perfectly and compleatly happy, if any ſuch Thing as compleat Happineſs can be form'd in a ſublunary State.

      • 1753, [Tobias Smollett], “His Return to England, and Midnight Pilgrimage to Monimia’s Tomb”, in The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom. […], volume II, London: […] W. Johnston, […], →OCLC, page 239:

        Monimia hears not my complaints; her ſoul, ſublimed far, far above all ſublunary cares, enjoys that felicity, of vvhich ſhe was debarred on earth.

      • 1756, Samuel Johnson, “The Life of Sir Thomas Browne”, in Thomas Browne, edited by John Jeffery, Christian Morals: […], London: […] Richard Hett, for J. Payne, […], →OCLC, page xviii:

        [I]n all ſublunary things, there is ſomething to be vviſhed, vvhich vve muſt vviſh in vain.

      • 1832, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XI, in Eugene Aram. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, book I, page 192:

        Body o' me, it makes a man sick of his kind, ashamed to belong to the race of men, to see the envy that abounds in this here sublunary wale^{[sic – meaning vale]} of tears!

      • 1844, John Mills, chapter XI, in The English Fireside. A Tale of the Past. […] In Three Volumes, volume I, London: Saunders and Otley, […], →OCLC, page 181:

        Mr John Puffingham was a patron—a patron to the diversified layers and strata of men and things pertaining to sublunary matters.

      • 1928 September, Siegfried Sassoon, “Part Seven: Denis Milden as Master. Chapter III.”, in Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, new edition, London: Faber & Faber […], published May 1932 (October 1936 printing), →OCLC, page 227:

        Staying at the Kennels was the most significant occasion my little world could offer me, and in order that he might share my sublunary advancement I took Cockbird with me.

      • 1946, Bertrand Russell, “Aristotle’s Metaphysics”, in History of Western Philosophy […], London: George Allen and Unwin, →OCLC, book 1 (Ancient Philosophy), part 2 (Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle), page 191:

        We must infer that God does not know of the existence of our sublunary world.

   2. Of or relating to the material world (as opposed to clerical, sacred, or spiritual); ephemeral, temporal, worldly.
      • 1648, Joseph Hall, “The Breathings of the Devout Soul”, in Josiah Pratt, editor, The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Joseph Hall, D.D. […], volume VI (Devotional Works), London: […] C[harles] Whittingham, […]; for Williams and Smith, […], published 1808, →OCLC, page 317:

        Whither now, O whither do ye rove, O my thoughts? Can ye hope to find rest, in any of these sublunary contentments?

      • 1744, [Edward Young], “Night the Sixth. The Infidel Reclaim’d. In Two Parts. Containing, the Nature, Proof, and Importance of Immortality. Part the First. […]”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley […], →OCLC, page 11:

        And chace vve ſtill the Phantom thro' the Fire, / O'er Bog, and Brake, and Precipice, till Death? / And toil vve ſtill for ſublunary Pay?

      • 1759, [Samuel Johnson], “The Princess and Pekuah Visit the Astronomer”, in The Prince of Abissinia. A Tale. […], volume I, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […]; and W. Johnston, […], →OCLC, page 137:

        He began gradually to delight in ſublunary pleaſures.

      • 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], “The Banquet”, in Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], 2nd edition, volume I, Edinburgh:  […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 153:

        [T]he Baron was exalted by wine, wrath, and scorn, above all sublunary considerations.

3. (figurative) Inferior, subordinate.
   • 1624, Henry Burton, “Of the Miserable Fruits and Effects of Simonie”, in A Censure of Simonie. Or A Most Important Case of Conscience Concerning Simonie […], London: […] William Stansby, for Edmund Weauer and Iohn Smethwicke, →OCLC, page 93:

     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.

• sublunary sphere

• under the stars
• under the sun

sublunary (plural sublunaries) (chiefly in the plural)

1. A person or thing which is of the (material) world.
   • 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LVIII. Mr. Lovelace, to John Belford, Esq.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson;  […], →OCLC, page 276:

     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.