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Definition of umbrella noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

umbrella

noun
 
/ʌmˈbrelə/
 
/ʌmˈbrelə/
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  1. (also British English, informal brolly)
    an object with a round folding frame of long, straight pieces of metal covered with material, that you use to protect yourself from the rain or from hot sun
    • to carry/hold an umbrella
    • colourful beach umbrellas
    • I put up my umbrella.
    • a rolled/furled umbrella
    • under an umbrella Spectators huddled under umbrellas as the rain poured down.
    • an umbrella stand (= for putting umbrellas in when they are not being used)
    compare parasol, sunshadeTopics Weathera1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • rolled
    • beach
    • sun
    verb + umbrella
    • open
    • put up
    • unfurl
    umbrella + noun
    • stand
    • stroller
    • body
    preposition
    • under an/​the umbrella
    See full entry
  2. a thing that contains or includes many different parts or elements
    • under the umbrella of something Many previously separate groups are now operating under the umbrella of a single authority.
    • an umbrella organization/group/fund
    • ‘Contact sports’ is an umbrella term for a variety of different sports.
    Extra Examples
    • Two separate political parties emerged from the umbrella organization.
    • The two sectors combined under the umbrella of the Scottish Council.
    • an umbrella group including members of opposition parties
    • the broad umbrella of alternative medicine
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • rolled
    • beach
    • sun
    verb + umbrella
    • open
    • put up
    • unfurl
    umbrella + noun
    • stand
    • stroller
    • body
    preposition
    • under an/​the umbrella
    See full entry
  3. a country or system that protects people
    • the American nuclear umbrella over Europe
  4. Word Originearly 17th cent.: from Italian ombrella, diminutive of ombra ‘shade’, from Latin umbra ‘shade’.
See umbrella in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee umbrella in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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