Main Entry:

apo·gee

Pronunciation:

\ˈa-pə-(ˌ)jē\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

French apogée, from New Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion, from neuter of apogeios, apogaios far from the earth, from apo- + gē, gaia earth

Date:

1594

1: the point in the orbit of an object (as a satellite) orbiting the earth that is at the greatest distance from the center of the earth ; also : the point farthest from a planet or a satellite (as the moon) reached by an object orbiting it — compare perigee2: the farthest or highest point : culmination <Aegean civilization reached its apogee in Crete>

— apo·ge·an \ˌa-pə-ˈjē-ən\ adjective

[apogee illustration]