Dictionary

zenith en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (UK) audio
• /ˈzɛn.ɪθ/ (Australia, UK)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈzi.nɪθ/ (US)
• (US) audio

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.

Meanings

1. The point in the sky vertically above a given position or observer; the point in the celestial sphere opposite the nadir.
   • The 12 day wee had the wind high and large ſo that in two dayes ſaile we made the Sunne our Zenith or verticall point[…] 1638, Sir Thomas Herbert, Some years travels into divers parts of Asia and Afrique:
   • In the east a pillar of cloud reared from horizon to zenith, with a kind of arm outstretched like a threatening colossus. 1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter XI, in Capricornia, New York: D. Appleton-Century, published 1943, page 180:
   • In this 10th m. appeared that prodigious Comett the tayl whereof was like the blade of a double edged sword, and reached almost from the horizon to the zenith. 1671–1693: Rev. Thomas Jolly, private notebook; printed in: 1895, Henry Fishwick (editor), The Note Book of the Rev. Thomas Jolly: A.D. 1671–1693. Extracts from the Church Books of Altham and Wymondhouses, 1649–1725. And an Account of the Jolly Family of Standish, Gorton, and Altham, page 44
2. The highest point in the sky reached by a celestial body.
   • […] in the middle of the day, when the sun was in the zenith, the violence of the heat was too great to stir out […] 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:
   • As far to the west as Monica could see, her world was a sea of fog, […]. Above it arched a cerulean sky; as the sun climbed to the zenith, […], the fog gradually took on a bluish tinge. 1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter II, in The Understanding Heart:
3. (broadly) Highest point or state; peak.
   • I find my zenith doth depend upon / A most auspicious star. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
   • It was during those civil troubles […] this aspiring family reached the zenith. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XIII, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
   • Winning the continental championship was the zenith of my career.
   • "There for a while I enjoyed myself in the zenith of glory and pleasure." 1900, William Beckford, The History of the Caliph Vathek, page 173:

Forms

Antonyms

perigee · nadir · antizenith

Deriveds

zenith sector · zenithic · circumzenith · zenith telescope · zenithal · zenithward · zenithally

Relateds

azimuth · nadir

Synonyms

acme · culmination · pinnacle · apex · apogee

Translations (144)

ru зени́т (highest point or state; peak) · bg зени́т (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · pt zênite (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · uk зені́т (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · mi poutūmārō (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · el ζενίθ (highest point or state; peak) · he אזימוט (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · tl ituktok (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · tl ituktok (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · de Zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · fi huipennus (highest point or state; peak) · cmn 頂點 /顶点 (highest point or state; peak) · ru зени́т (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · sh zènīt (highest point or state; peak) · fi zeniitti (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · tr ayyuk (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · gd bàrr (highest point or state; peak) · fr zénith (highest point or state; peak) · ja 頂点 (highest point or state; peak) · ru зени́т (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · pl zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · sv hjässpunkt (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es cénit (highest point or state; peak) · tr doruk (highest point or state; peak) · hy զենիթ (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · pt topo (highest point or state; peak) · vi thiên đỉnh (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · te స్వర్గము (highest point or state; peak) · fi kohokohta (highest point or state; peak) · tr setürreis (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · cs zenit (highest point or state; peak) · bg зени́т (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · ja 天頂 (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · hi सिम्त (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es zénit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · el ζενίθ (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · hi स्वर्ग (highest point or state; peak) · eo zenito (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · sh зѐнӣт (highest point or state; peak) · fi huippukohta (highest point or state; peak) · tr başucu (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · la cenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · de Zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es cenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · it zenit (highest point or state; peak) · ro zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · bg зени́т (highest point or state; peak) · fi lakipiste (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · tr tepe (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ga buaic na spéire (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · el απόγειο (highest point or state; peak) · sv zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ja 絶頂 (highest point or state; peak) · fr zénith (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · tr zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · gl cénit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · ka ზენიტი (highest point or state; peak) · pt zênite (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · uk зені́т (highest point or state; peak) · sv zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · cs nadhlavník (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · tr zirve (highest point or state; peak) · id zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · vi thiên đỉnh (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · gv ard-niau (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · ca zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · pl apogeum (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · hy զենիթ (highest point or state; peak) · gur zuu-tẽŋasʋka (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · it zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · he זֶנִית (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ru расцве́т (highest point or state; peak) · pl zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · vi tột đỉnh (highest point or state; peak) · fa اوج (highest point or state; peak) · ar سَمْت (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · et seniit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ca zenit (highest point or state; peak) · it culmine (highest point or state; peak) · tr tepe (highest point or state; peak) · id zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · fr zénith (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · cmn 天頂 /天顶 (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · sv huvudpunkt (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · mbt pekeuntud (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · de Zenit (highest point or state; peak) · it apice (highest point or state; peak) · et seniit (highest point or state; peak) · pt zénite (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · kk аспан биігі (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · nv yá ʼałníiʼgi (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · tr tepe (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · cmn 天頂 /天顶 (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · sh zènīt (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es zénit (highest point or state; peak) · gl cénit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ru вы́сшая то́чка (highest point or state; peak) · vi điểm cao nhất (highest point or state; peak) · ja 天頂 (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · mi kōmata (o te rangi) (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · pt cume (highest point or state; peak) · fa سرسو (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · cs zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · sv zenit (highest point or state; peak) · hy զենիթ (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es apogeo (highest point or state; peak) · pt zénite (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · enm cenyth (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · grc ἀκμή (highest point or state; peak) · nv yá ʼałníiʼgi (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ab ажәҩангәы́ (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · tr ayyuk (highest point or state; peak) · nn senit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · cs zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · cs nadhlavník (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · hi सिम्त (highest point or state; peak) · gv ard-niau (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · tr doruk (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · ms zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · tr zirve (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · da zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · et seniit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · es zenit (highest point or state; peak) · pl zenit (highest point or state; peak) · gl cénit (highest point or state; peak) · es cénit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ar ذُرْوَة (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · sa पराकाष्ठा (highest point or state; peak) · mi kōmata (o te rangi) (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · fa سمتالرأس (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · es cenit (highest point or state; peak) · nb senit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · sh зѐнӣт (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · el ζενίθ (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · ar ذُرْوَة (highest point or state; peak) · nl zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · ms zenit (astronomy: highest point reached by a celestial body) · tr başucu noktası (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · hi पराकाष्ठा (highest point or state; peak) · tr zenit (astronomy: point vertically above a position or observer) · fi huippu (highest point or state; peak) · ar سَمْت (highest point or state; peak) · vi cực điểm (highest point or state; peak)