perigee

American  

[per-i-jee] / ˈpɛr ɪˌdʒi /

noun

Astronomy.

1. the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or of an artificial satellite at which it is nearest to the earth.

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perigee British  

/ ˈpɛrɪˌdʒiː /

noun

1. the point in its orbit around the earth when the moon or an artificial satellite is nearest the earth Compare apogee

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perigee Scientific  

/ pĕr′ə-jē /

1. The point nearest Earth's center in the orbit of the Moon or an artificial satellite.

2. The point in an orbit that is nearest to the body being orbited.

3. Compare apogee perihelion

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perigee Cultural  

1. The point in the orbit of a satellite at which it is closest to its parent body. (Compare apogee.)

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Other Word Forms

• perigeal
  adjective
• perigean
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of perigee

First recorded in 1585–95; from French perigée, from New Latin perigēum, perigaeum, from Greek perígeion (sēmeîon) “perigee,” literally “boundary, limit (surrounding the earth),” equivalent to neuter of perígeios “surrounding the earth,” ( peri- peri- + -geios, adjective derivative of gaîa, gê “the earth”)

Compare meaning

How does perigee compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• apogee vs. perigee

Explanation

The perigee is the point in the orbit of an object circling the Earth when that object is closest to the Earth. The best time to observe the moon is when the moon reaches its perigee. The Greek ancestor of the word perigee was originally used by Ptolemy, a Roman scientist and astrologer who lived almost 2,000 years ago. The opposite of perigee is apogee. A perigee is measured from the center of the earth to the center of the orbiting object. When the moon is at its perigee, it can appear up to 14 percent larger than when it is at its apogee, but you probably can't tell the difference with the naked eye.

Example Sentences

Two clients are preparing rockets to carry satellites into orbit from northern Sweden: South Korea's Perigee; and American company, Firefly, which achieved a lunar landing last year.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

The researchers believe Dual Perigee could play an important role in upcoming technologies.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2026

Very interesting and maybe significant is that the unusually close Perigee full moon was right overhead when the first quake struck.

From The Guardian • Nov. 15, 2016

Excerpted from Alternate Histories of the World by Matthew Buchholz, out now from Perigee.

From Slate • Oct. 22, 2013

Perigee, nearest the earth; said of a point in an orbit.

From Recreations in Astronomy With Directions for Practical Experiments and Telescopic Work by Warren, Henry White

Related Words

• path
• pattern
• rotation
• trajectory