Dictionary

culmination en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌkʌl.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ (UK)
• /ˌkal.mɪˈnæɪ.ʃən/ (Australia)
• (US) audio
• /ˌkʌl.məˈneɪ.ʃən/ (Canada, US)

Etymology

Borrowed from French culmination, from culminer, or from Medieval Latin culminatus + -tion. Morphologically culminate + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The attainment of the highest point of altitude reached by a heavenly body; passage across the meridian; transit.
2. (Canada, UK, countable, uncountable) An endpoint arrived at after some series of actions or events, or some period, usually after the series or period has ended. The sum of something.
   • The culmination of this lead happened in 1998 when an informant came forward with details that tied the suspects to a specific disposal location. 2026 August 6, Nicholas Muhoro, “An Ohio Teen Vanished During a One-Mile Drive in 1994. Her Locked Car Was Found Hours Later”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2026:
3. (US, countable, uncountable) An attainment or arrival at the highest pitch of glory, power, etc.
4. (US, countable, uncountable) A ceremony marking the completion of studies at an elementary school, middle school or junior high school.

Forms

Coordinates

graduation

Deriveds

nonculmination

Relateds

culminate

Translations (25)

hy բարձրակետ (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · fi huipentuma (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · tr doruk noktası (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · fa تکبد (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · hy գագաթնակետ (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · el μεσημβρινή διάβαση (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · fa گذر (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · fi kulminaatio (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · pl kulminacja (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · tr doruk (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · tr zirve (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · bg зенит (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · tr doruk (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · de Gipfelpunkt (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · uk кульміна́ція (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · de Höhepunkt (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · fi huippu (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · bg кулминация (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · ru зени́т (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · pl kulminacja (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · cs kulminace (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · ru кульмина́ция (astronomy: attainment of the highest point) · ru кульмина́ция (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · fi huippuhetki (arrival of the highest pitch of glory) · ms perembangan (astronomy: attainment of the highest point)