summer solstice
Americannoun
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°
Usage
What and when is the summer solstice? The summer solstice is the moment in the year when Earth is tilted as close to the sun as it will be all year. The summer solstice results in the longest day of the year, meaning it has the most time of daylight. The winter solstice is the moment in the year when Earth is tilted as far away from the sun as it will be all year. The winter solstice results in the shortest day of the year, meaning it has the longest period of darkness. One solstice occurs around June 20–22 (usually June 20 or 21) and one 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. 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. The summer solstice is sometimes called midsummer. Example: Many ancient cultures marked the summer solstice with festivals, some of which continue to be observed today.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of summer solstice
First recorded in 1540–50
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.
What is the summer solstice and why is it the longest day of the year?
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
Midsummer Day, a celebration of the summer solstice in Sweden, lands on June 20—the same day Sweden takes on the Netherlands.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
June's combination of bright planets, a rare lunar occultation, the summer solstice, and returning deep-sky treasures makes it an excellent month to spend time under the night sky.
From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026
Because Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbit, areas outside the tropics experience one yearly peak in solar radiation near the summer solstice.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
Toward the end of our second day on the train, June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, we passed through spine golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
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.
