zenith

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Antonyms 1.3.3 Related terms 1.3.4 Translations

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English senith from cinit from Old French cenit and/or Latin cenit, a shoddy transliteration of Arabic سمت (samt), “‘direction, path’”) which is in itself a weak abbreviation of سمت الرأس (samt ar-ra's), “‘direction of the head’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈzɛn.ɪθ/
• (US) IPA: /ˈzi.nɪθ/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

zenith (plural zeniths)

1. (astronomy) The point in the sky vertically above a given position or observer; the point in the celestial sphere opposite the nadir.
   • 1671–1693: Rev. Thomas Jolly, private notebook ; printed in:
   • 1895: Henry Fishwick [ed.], The Note Book of the Rev. Thomas Jolly: A.D. 1671–1693. Extracts from the Church Books of Altham and Wymondhouses, 1649–1725. And an Account of the Jolly Family of Standish, Gorton, and Altham, page 44

     In this 10th m. appeared that prodigious Comett the tayl whereof was like the blade of a double edged sword, and reached almost from the horizon to the zenith.

2. (astronomy) The highest point in the sky reached by a celestial body.
   • 1719- Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

     ...in the middle of the day, when the sun was in the zenith, the violence of the heat was too great to stir out...

3. Highest point or state; peak.
   • 1900, William Beckford, The History of the Caliph Vathek^[1], page 173:

     "There for a while I enjoyed myself in the zenith of glory and pleasure."

[edit] Synonyms

• (highest point or state): acme, apogee, culmination, pinnacle
• See also Wikisaurus:apex

[edit] Antonyms

• nadir

  nadir is the etymological (Arabic) antonym.

• perigee

[edit] Related terms

• azimuth, nadir

  Both from or related to السمت (as-samt), “‘direction’”).

[edit] Translations