apogee

noun

apo·​gee ˈa-pə-(ˌ)jē 

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.

apogean

ˌa-pə-ˈjē-ən 

adjective

Illustration of apogee

• apogee 1

Did you know?

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).

Synonyms

• acme
• apex
• capstone
• climax
• crescendo
• crest
• crown
• culmination
• head
• height
• high noon
• high-water mark
• meridian
• ne plus ultra
• noon
• noontime
• peak
• pinnacle
• sum
• summit
• tip-top
• top
• zenith

Examples of apogee in a Sentence

shag carpeting reached the apogee of its popularity in the 1970s but is now considered outdated

Recent Examples on the Web

Seeking to avoid a repeat of the disastrous Cultural Revolution, when Maoist propaganda reached its apogee, Deng also sought to prevent any leader from forming a cult of personality. —Cai Xia, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022

The crew’s apogee — or farthest point from Earth — made two crew members the first women ever to fly so far from our planet. BREAKFAST BROWSE Mid-Autumn Festival: Mooncakes, lanterns and so much more The Mid-Autumn Festival, or the Moon Festival, falls on September 17. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 16 Sep. 2024

Where the Gemini reached an altitude of 853 miles (1,373 km), Polaris Dawn had an apogee of 875 miles (1,408 km). —David Szondy, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2024

The crew of the Polaris Dawn mission, led by a billionaire pilot named Jared Isaacman, were injected into an orbit intended to reach an apogee of 1,200 km and a perigee of 190 km. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

apogee

noun

apo·​gee ˈap-ə-(ˌ)jē 

: the point farthest from the center of a heavenly body (as the earth or the moon) reached by an object (as a satellite) orbiting it compare perigee