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summer solstice

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noun Astronomy.

the solstice on or about June 21st that marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

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What Does “Solstice” Mean?The summer solstice marks the longest day of the calendar year and the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. But what does the word solstice mean, and what does it have to do with Shakespeare? The term solstice is derived from the Latin scientific term solstitium. Containing the Latin sol– meaning “the sun” and sistere meaning “to make stand.” Today the term solstice is used to describe the …
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What Does “Winter Solstice” Mean?The winter solstice lasts for just one moment. It occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. This usually happens around December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere or June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, during the solstice the sun will be at its southernmost point in the sky. The higher …
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RELATED WORDS

vacation, summertime, heat, midsummer

Nearby words

  1. summer pudding,
  2. summer roll,
  3. summer sausage,
  4. summer savory,
  5. summer school,
  6. summer sores,
  7. summer squash,
  8. summer stock,
  9. summer tanager,
  10. summer theater

Origin of summer solstice

First recorded in 1540–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for summer solstice

summer solstice

noun

the time at which the sun is at its northernmost point in the sky (southernmost point in the S hemisphere), appearing at noon at its highest altitude above the horizon. It occurs about June 21 (December 22 in the S hemisphere)
astronomy the point on the celestial sphere, opposite the winter solstice, at which the ecliptic is furthest north from the celestial equator. Right ascension: 6 hours; declination: 23.5°
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Science definitions for summer solstice

summer solstice

[sŭm′ər]

See under solstice.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.