equatorial
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or near an equator, especially the equator of the earth.
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of, like, or typical of the regions at the earth's equator.
equatorial temperatures.
noun
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a telescope mounting having two axes of motion, one parallel to the earth's axis and one at right angles to it.
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Also called equatorial instrument. Also called equatorial telescope. a telescope with such a mounting.
adjective
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of, like, or existing at or near the equator
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astronautics (of a telescope) mounted on the perpendicular axes, one of which is parallel to the earth's axis
an equatorial orbit
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astronomy of or referring to the celestial equator
equatorial coordinates
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of equatorial
Vocabulary lists containing equatorial
South America - Middle School
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South America - Introductory
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South America - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Kelvin waves typically begin when wind patterns over the far western equatorial Pacific briefly reverse direction.
From Science Daily • Jun. 15, 2026
La Niña typically brings wetter conditions to parts of Australia, Indonesia and equatorial South America, and drier conditions to the southern US.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
According to the researchers, this shows that equatorial sunlight changes alone were capable of driving major climate fluctuations.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
But the 2015-16 El Niño — while strong in the equatorial Pacific — didn’t bring the anticipated rainfall effects to Southern California, and failed to snap the state out of a punishing five-year drought.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
And Vespucci had sailed 50 degrees south of the equator: this was not just the equatorial antipodes that some exponents of the two-spheres theory had envisaged.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
