equatorial

adjective

equa·to·ri·al ˌē-kwə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl

ˌe-kwə-

Synonyms of equatorial next

: of, relating to, or located at the equator or an equator

also : being in the plane of the equator

a satellite in equatorial orbit

: of, originating in, or suggesting the region around the geographic equator

: being or having a support that includes two axles at right angles to each other with one parallel to the earth's axis of rotation

an equatorial telescope mount

: extending in a direction essentially in the plane of a cyclic structure (as of cyclohexane)

equatorial hydrogens

compare axial

Example Sentences

a lush equatorial rain forest that is threatened by rampant development

Recent Examples on the Web This equatorial region stretches from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn, and it's overgrown with orchids, bougainvillea, and birds-of-paradise — not to mention the sugarcane that keeps resort bars stocked in rum. —

Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023 Space for sunning was moved to the roof deck, which multitasks as a breezy spot for sundowners and canapés as the equatorial sun descends into an ocean of molten gold, or a place to gaze at the Milky Way under a perfectly clear sky. —

Lee Cobaj, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2023 Accessible only by the Trans-Gabon railway or private plane, Ivindo -- this equatorial country's newest UNESCO World Heritage site -- comprises nearly 300,000 hectares of parkland crisscrossed by blackwater rivers, featuring impressive rapids and glorious waterfalls. —

CNN, 1 Jan. 2022 In this case, the spacecraft is in an equatorial orbit about 125 kilometers above the surface; aiming a radar just above the lunar limb could spot it. —

The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2021 El Nino is the natural warming of parts of the equatorial Pacific that changes weather worldwide and spikes global temperatures. —

Seth Borenstein, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Apr. 2023 During 2002, the El Niño followed an unusually long four-year run with La Niña or cooler than normal conditions in the equatorial Pacific. —

Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2023 El Nino is a worldwide climate phenonomen that begins with above-average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. —

Leigh Morgan, al, 13 Apr. 2023 Despite a La Nina, a cooling of the equatorial Pacific that slightly reduces global average temperatures, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculates 2022's global average temperature was 58.55 degrees Fahrenheit, ranking sixth hottest on record. —

Arkansas Online, 13 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'equatorial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.