Webster's 1828 Dictionary
ALMUCANTAR
n.A series of circles of the sphere passing through the center of the sun, or of a star, parallel to the horizon. It is synonymous with a parallel of altitude, whose common zenith is the vertical point.
ALMUCANTARS STAFF
An instrument of box or pear-tree, having an arch of fifteen degrees, used to take observations of the sun, about the time of its rising or setting, to find the amplitude and the variations of the compass.
Webster's 1913 Dictionary
ALMUCANTAR
Al `mu *can "tar, n. Etym: [F. almucantarat, almicantarat, ultimately fr. Ar. al-muqantarat, pl. , fr. qantara to bend, arch. ] (Astron.)
Defn: A small circle of the sphere parallel to the horizon; a circle or parallel of altitude. Two stars which have the same almucantar have the same altitude. See Almacantar. [Archaic ] Almucanter staff, an ancient instrument, having an arc of fifteen degrees, formerly used at sea to take observations of the sun's amplitude at the time of its rising or setting, to find the variation of the compass.
New American Oxford Dictionary
almucantar
almucantar |ˌalməˈkantə | ▶noun 1 Astronomy a circle on the celestial sphere parallel to the horizon; a parallel of altitude. 2 a telescope mounted on a float resting on mercury, used to determine stellar altitude and azimuth. ORIGIN Middle English: from medieval Latin almucantarath or obsolete French almucantara, from Arabic al-muqanṭarāt ‘lines of celestial latitude ’, based on al ‘the ’ + qanṭara ‘arch ’.
Oxford Dictionary
almucantar
almucantar |ˌalməˈkantə | ▶noun 1 Astronomy a circle on the celestial sphere parallel to the horizon; a parallel of altitude. 2 a telescope mounted on a float resting on mercury, used to determine stellar altitude and azimuth. ORIGIN Middle English: from medieval Latin almucantarath or obsolete French almucantara, from Arabic al-muqanṭarāt ‘lines of celestial latitude ’, based on al ‘the ’ + qanṭara ‘arch ’.
The Wordsmith Dictionary