perihelion

American  

[per-uh-hee-lee-uhn, -heel-yuhn] / ˌpɛr əˈhi li ən, -ˈhil yən /

noun

Astronomy.

plural

perihelia

1. the point in the orbit of a planet or comet at which it is nearest to the sun.

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perihelion British  

/ ˌpɛrɪˈhiːlɪən /

noun

1. the point in its orbit when a planet or comet is nearest the sun Compare aphelion

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perihelion Scientific  

/ pĕr′ə-hē′lē-ən /

1. The point at which an orbiting object, such as a planet or a comet, is closest to the Sun.

2. Compare aphelion perigee

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Other Word Forms

• perihelial adjective
• perihelian adjective

Etymology

Origin of perihelion

1660–70; < Greek peri- peri- + hḗli ( os ) sun + -on neuter noun suffix, on the model of perigee; earlier in the New Latin form perihelium

Compare meaning

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

• aphelion vs. perihelion