apogee

American  

[ap-uh-jee] / ˈæp əˌdʒi /

noun

1. Astronomy. the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or of a man-made satellite at which it is farthest from the earth.

2. the highest or most distant point; climax.

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apogee British  

/ ˈæpəˌdʒiː /

noun

1. the point in its orbit around the earth when the moon or an artificial satellite is at its greatest distance from the earth Compare perigee

2. the highest point

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apogee Scientific  

/ ăp′ə-jē /

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

2. The point in an orbit that is most distant from the body being orbited.

3. Compare aphelion perigee

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apogee Cultural  

1. In astronomy, the point during the orbit of a satellite, such as the moon, at which it is farthest from the body being orbited. For planets in the solar system orbiting the sun, their farthest point from the sun is referred to as aphelion.

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Other Word Forms

• apogeal adjective
• apogean adjective
• apogeic adjective

Etymology

Origin of apogee

1585–95; alteration (after French apogée ) of earlier apogaeum < Latin < Greek apógaion ( diástema ) off-earth (distance), neuter of apógaios (adj.), equivalent to apo- apo- + gáïos of the earth, derivative of gaîa, variant of gê the earth

Compare meaning

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

• apogee vs. perigee

Example Sentences

The Moon's furthest point from the Earth is known as apogee.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2024

Dickey Betts, the singer-musician whose versatile compositions helped define the apogee of Southern Rock in the '70s and '80s, died at age 80 in his Osprey, Florida home.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2024

The tradition that begins with the Cycladic sculptors is generally seen as reaching its apogee many centuries later when their Golden Age descendants finally arrived at an accurate if idealized treatment of the human form.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2024

His political rise reached an apogee in 1976, when President Gerald Ford appointed Lozano as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2023

The sun reached its apogee and started down the blue sky of early afternoon.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• apex