zenith
UK /ˈzɛn.ɪθ/ · US /ˈzi.nɪθ/ noun
Forms zeniths
- noun (astronomy) The point in the sky vertically above a given position or observer; the point in the celestial sphere opposite the nadir.
- noun (astronomy) The highest point in the sky reached by a celestial body.
- noun (by extension) Highest point or state; peak. “Winning the continental championship was the zenith of my career.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English cenyth, from Medieval Latin cenit, from Arabic سَمْت (samt, “direction, path”), from the fuller form سَمْت اَلرَّأْس (samt ar-raʔs, “direction of the head”). The -ni- for -m- is sometimes thought to be due to a misreading of the three strokes, which is plausible, though it could be a mere phonetic approximation.
Webster’s 1913
- noun That point in the visible celestial hemisphere which is vertical to the spectator; the point of the heavens directly overhead; --opposed to nadir.
- noun hence, figuratively, the point of culmination; the greatest height; the height of success or prosperity.
Etymology [OE. senyth, OF. cenith, F. zénith, Sp. zenit, cenit, abbrev. fr. Ar. samt-urras way of the head, vertical place; samt way, path + al the + ras head. Cf. Azimuth.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “zenith”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details