Meaning of lunarist | Babel Free

Definitions

One who believes in the influence of the Moon on the weather of the Earth.

historical, obsolete

Examples

“It can be safely stated, that so far as actual facts can be brought forward⟳ that are worthy of consideration, and so far as observations have⟳ been made by the very few who have⟳ already taken the trouble⟳ to examine⟳ the subject in a philosophical spirit, the lunarists have⟳ a very strong basis to work⟳ upon, and enough to encourage⟳ them to persevere in order⟳ to attain still more decided results; while the anti-lunarists have⟳ signally failed in predicting the weather and storms, also in deducing anything likely to crush⟳ the popular belief, or to satisfy⟳ the scientific inquirer.”

“The most recent adventurer in the direction of formulating a theory of the moon's influence⟳ on the weather is Mr. Hugh Clements, whose name⟳ is probably already familiar to many of our readers as that of a lunarist whose "long distance" predictions of weather have⟳ not infrequently appeared in the public press⟳.”

“Even if FitzRoy did entertain doubts about the moon's influence⟳ on weather, he certainly never gave the moon the slightest consideration when he was compiling his forecasts. Others, apart from Saxby, also charged Fitzroy with being a lunarist. FitzRoy denied this vehemently, but it is easy to see⟳ from some of his writing why people might think⟳ he remained uncommitted.”

“I am at length happy to be able to record⟳ in the Nautical that the terra "Lunarist" is no longer one of reproach: — that henceforward one may speculate on the agency of the moon in causing what we call⟳ "weather" without meeting with that derisive sarcasm which, even from the mouth of well meaning friends, could only be a pang or a regret⟳.”

“Both the Lunarists and the Astrometeorologists appeal to certain cases in which the facts coincided with their predictions; but the latter, who are the most daring in their assertions, often think⟳ themselves right when other folks might consider⟳ them wrong.”

“Furthermore, the “Lunarists” (not to be confused with the Lunar Society, a group of natural philosophers who met whenever there was a full moon), held that various conjunctions of the earth and the moon could give⟳ warning of oncoming bad weather.”

CEFR level