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Greek

Eclipse

lit. โ€œabandonment, failure to appearโ€

To overshadow or outshine โ€” usually unwillingly on the eclipsed party's part.

Origin

Astronomically, an eclipse is one body blocking light from another โ€” solar (Moon blocks Sun) or lunar (Earth's shadow falls on the Moon). Total eclipses were ancient omens of disaster and have driven scientific tourism for centuries.

Modern usage

Used as a verb for being outshone โ€” a sibling, a successor, a competing product. 'He was eclipsed by his younger brother's success.'

Tags

overshadow
rivalry

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