solstice

American  

[sol-stis, sohl-] / ˈsɒl stɪs, ˈsoʊl- /

noun

1. Astronomy.

   1. either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator: about June 21, when the sun reaches its northernmost point on the celestial sphere, or about December 22, when it reaches its southernmost point.

   2. either of the two points in the ecliptic farthest from the equator.

2. a furthest or culminating point; a turning point.

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solstice British  

/ ˈsɒlstɪs, sɒlˈstɪʃəl /

noun

1. either the shortest day of the year ( winter solstice ) or the longest day of the year ( summer solstice )

2. either of the two points on the ecliptic at which the sun is overhead at the tropic of Cancer or Capricorn at the summer and winter solstices

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solstice Scientific  

/ sŏl′stĭs,sōl′- /

1. Either of the two points on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic (the apparent path of the Sun) reaches its greatest distance north or south of the celestial equator.

2. ◆ The northernmost point of the Sun's path, called the summer solstice, lies on the Tropic of Cancer at 23°27′ north latitude.

3. ◆ The southernmost point of the Sun's path, called the winter solstice, lies on the Tropic of Capricorn at 23°27′ south latitude.

4. Either of the two corresponding moments of the year when the Sun is directly above either the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn. The summer solstice occurs on June 20 or 21 and the winter solstice on December 21 or 22, marking the beginning of summer and winter in the Northern Hemisphere (and the reverse in the Southern Hemisphere). The days on which a solstice falls have the greatest difference of the year between the hours of daylight and darkness, with the most daylight hours at the beginning of summer and the most darkness at the beginning of winter.

5. Compare equinox

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solstice Cultural  

1. The two occasions each year when the position of the sun at a given time of day does not seem to change direction. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around June 21 and is the longest day of the year. The sun stops getting higher in the sky, and the days begin to grow shorter. The winter solstice, which occurs around December 21, is the shortest day. The sun stops getting lower in the sky, and the days begin to grow longer.

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Usage

What does solstice mean? A solstice is one of the two times of the year when the positioning and tilt of Earth relative to the sun results in the most amount of daylight time or the least amount of daylight time in a single day. There are two solstices during the year: one that occurs around June 20–22 (usually June 20 or 21) and one that occurs around December 20–23 (usually December 21 or 22). The solstices are traditionally considered to mark the start of summer and winter. But which season begins with each solstice depends on which hemisphere you’re in. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs in June and the winter solstice occurs in December. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite. The summer solstice results in the longest day of the year, meaning it has the most time of daylight, and the winter solstice results in the shortest day of the year, meaning it has the longest period of darkness. In contrast, an equinox is one of the two times of the year when the amount of daylight and nighttime hours are just about of equal length. The two equinoxes occur around March 20–21 and September 22–23. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox (or spring equinox) occurs in March and the autumnal equinox occurs in September. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite. Example: Many ancient cultures recognized and observed the solstices as times that marked the change of the seasons.

Other Word Forms

• solstitial adjective

Etymology

Origin of solstice

1200–50; < Middle English < Old French < Latin sōlstitium, equivalent to sōl sun + -stit-, combining form of stat-, variant stem of sistere to make stand ( see stand) + -ium -ium; see -ice)

Compare meaning

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

• equinox vs. solstice

Explanation

The longest and shortest days of the year — the days when the sun is furthest from the equator — are each called a solstice. If you are on the part of the earth that is pointed towards the sun on the solstice, you are probably enjoying the longest day of summer. If you're pointed away, it is the shortest day of winter. Some people who do not believe in organized religion but like the idea of bringing lights inside and brightening a dark season celebrate the winter solstice, which falls a few days before Christmas.

Example Sentences

As spring progresses, the gap between sunrise and sunset will keep widening until the summer solstice on 21 June when daylight will be at its peak.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

After the winter solstice this past weekend, every day brings a little more sunlight.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

Consider the original Yule Logs, massive oak trunks that Vikings burned for the duration of the Midwinter solstice to rebuke the long darkness.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

Stonehenge at night with starry sky on winter solstice.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2025

Using some vertically plumb object continued . at Alexandria on the day of the solstice, he measured angle a, and therefore angle P, at 7.2 degrees.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

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