Definition of apogee
1 : the point in the orbit of an object (such 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 (such as the moon) reached by an object orbiting it — compare perigee
2 : the farthest or highest point : culmination Aegean civilization reached its apogee in Crete.
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Examples of apogee in a Sentence
shag carpeting reached the apogee of its popularity in the 1970s but is now considered outdated
Recent Examples of apogee from the Web
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A few lines from Lucretius, penned at the apogee of paganism, are equally applicable in the age of the plasma screen:
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'apogee'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of apogees, climaxes, and culminations
Apogee is often used in its figurative sense, signifying the high point of a career, endeavor, or state (“she was at the apogee of her profession”). This meaning developed as a metaphorical extension of the word’s astronomical sense, denoting the farthest distance from earth of an object orbiting the planet.
A number of other English words that are synonymous with apogee have followed a similar path of figurative development from a technical meaning. Climax (“the most interesting and exciting part of something”) came into English as a term for a series of phrases arranged in ascending order of rhetorical forcefulness. And, very much like apogee, culmination (“the final result of something”) is also rooted in astronomy: it originally referred to the highest point a celestial body reaches in its daily revolution (for example, the sun’s height at noon).
Illustration of apogee
Origin and Etymology of apogee
French apogée, from New Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion, from neuter of apogeios, apogaios far from the earth, from apo- + gē, gaia earth
First Known Use: 1640
APOGEE Defined for English Language Learners
apogee
playDefinition of apogee for English Language Learners
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: the highest point of something
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: the point in outer space where an object traveling around the Earth (such as a satellite or the moon) is farthest away from the Earth
Learn More about apogee
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for apogee Britannica English: Translation of apogee for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about apogee
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