solstice

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia has an article on:

Solstice

Wikipedia

[edit] English

Illumination of Earth by Sun at the southern solstice.

[edit] Etymology

From Latin solstitium (sol (“‘sun’”) + stitium, from sistere (“‘to stand still’”)).

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /'sɒl.stɪs/

[edit] Noun

solstice (plural solstices)

1. Points where the earth stands at one of the two extremes of its ellipsis around the sun. This corresponds to one of two days in the year when the day (as opposed to the night) is either longest (either 20 or 21 June depending on the year) or shortest (21 or 22 December depending on the year).
   • 1924: ARISTOTLE. Metaphysics. Translated by W. D. Ross. Nashotah, Wisconsin, USA: The Classical Library, 2001. Available at: <http://www.classicallibrary.org/aristotle/metaphysics/>. Book 1, Part 2.

     For all men begin, as we said, by wondering that things are as they are, as they do about self‐moving marionettes, or about the solstices or the incommensurability of the diagonal of a square with the side;

[edit] Derived terms

• summer solstice
• winter solstice

[edit] Related terms

• equinox

[edit] Translations