culmination

[kuhl-muh-ney-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or fact of culminating.

2. that in which anything culminates; the culminating position or stage; highest point; acme.

   Synonyms: summit, peak, zenith, climax

3. Astronomy.,  the position of a celestial body when it is on the meridian.

culmination

/ ˌkʌlmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the final, highest, or decisive point

2. the act of culminating

3. astronomy the highest or lowest altitude attained by a heavenly body as it crosses the meridian

Other Word Forms

• nonculmination noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of culmination¹

1625–35; < Medieval Latin culminātiōn-, stem of culminātiō; culminate, -ion

Example Sentences

The culmination of a plan to bring heavy artillery down under resulted in this awesome and relentless assault on the Australia batting.

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What unravelled in the Hungarian capital on Sunday night was the culmination of an unforgettable week for Parrott and the Republic of Ireland.

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But another source characterised it as the culmination of a "relentless critique of BBC journalism over two years by members of the Board and advisers - all of whom come from same political persuasion".

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For each of us, any given day — maybe especially a day devoid of the extraordinary — is the culmination of all we’ve been and whatever we might hope to be.

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The deal is the culmination of long-running negotiations, with Britain and Turkey signing a preliminary purchase deal for 40 Typhoons in July.

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Related Words

• apex 
• climax 
• completion 
• pinnacle