equatorial

[ ee-kwuh-tawr-ee-uhl, ek-wuh- ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or near an equator, especially the equator of the earth.
2. of, like, or typical of the regions at the earth's equator:

   equatorial temperatures.

noun

1. a telescope mounting having two axes of motion, one parallel to the earth's axis and one at right angles to it.
2. Also called e·qua·to·ri·al tel·e·scope [ee, -kw, uh, -tawr-ee-, uh, l , tel, -, uh, -skohp, ek, -w, uh, -],. a telescope with such a mounting.

equatorial

/ ˌɛkwəˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

1. of, like, or existing at or near the equator
2. astronautics (of a telescope) mounted on the perpendicular axes, one of which is parallel to the earth's axis

   an equatorial orbit

3. astronomy of or referring to the celestial equator

   equatorial coordinates

noun

1. an equatorial mounting for a telescope

Derived Forms

• ˌequaˈtorially, adverb

Other Words From

• e·qua·to·ri·al·ly adverb
• non·e·qua·to·ri·al adjective
• non·e·qua·to·ri·al·ly adverb
• trans·e·qua·to·ri·al adjective
• trans·e·qua·to·ri·al·ly adverb
• un·e·qua·to·ri·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of equatorial¹

First recorded in 1655–65; equator + -ial

Example Sentences

The PETM lifted that to above 98°F, more than 16°F above the modern average equatorial Atlantic temperature.

From Popular-Science

During our work in that hot equatorial visit in 2015, we brought back tiny slivers of nautilus shells for analysis in giant mass spectroscopes.

From Nautilus

If Earth had such an orbit, every year we’d pass over the sun’s north pole, dive through its equatorial plane, then pass below the sun’s south pole before coming back up again.

From Science News

Both of those asteroids have equatorial diameters larger than their polar diameters.

From Science News

Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, Venezuela, and Nicaragua have been floated as possibilities.

From The Daily Beast

The bodies hung there for weeks, reeking and swelling grotesquely in the equatorial heat.

From The Daily Beast

What appear to be good observations show that the equatorial part of its area, at least, still glows from its own heat.

From Project Gutenberg

On the equatorial side this air is moving more rapidly than it is on the polar side.

From Project Gutenberg

At the same time this descending water drifts along the bottom of the ocean troughs toward the equatorial realm.

From Project Gutenberg

Those who do not dwell in the equatorial countries emigrate every autumn, just as your birds do.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a full moon, and the glorious golden light of the equatorial night shone through the high trees like a new dawn.

From Project Gutenberg