zenith
[ zee-nith or, especially British, zen-ith ]
/ ˈzi nɪθ or, especially British, ˈzɛn ɪθ /
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noun
the point on the celestial sphere vertically above a given position or observer.Compare nadir.
a highest point or state; culmination.
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Origin of zenith
1350–1400; Middle English cenith<Medieval Latin <Old Spanish zenit, scribal error for zemt<Arabic samt road, incorrectly read as senit by medieval scribes (compare Arabic samt ar-rās road above (over) one's head, the opposite of nadir)
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH zenith
nadir, zenithWords nearby zenith
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for zenith
British Dictionary definitions for zenith
zenith
/ (ˈzɛnɪθ, US ˈziːnɪθ) /
noun
astronomy the point on the celestial sphere vertically above an observer
the highest point; peak; acmethe zenith of someone's achievements
Compare nadir
Derived forms of zenith
zenithal, adjectiveWord Origin for zenith
C17: from French cenith, from Medieval Latin, from Old Spanish zenit, based on Arabic samt, as in samt arrās path over one's head, from samt way, path + al the + rās head
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for zenith
zenith
[ zē′nĭth ]
The point on the celestial sphere that is directly above the observer (90 degrees above the celestial horizon). Compare nadir.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.