Illustration of nadir
- 1 nadir
- 2 observer
- 3 zenith
1
: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer
2
: the lowest point
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Nadir Has Arabic Roots
Nadir is part of the galaxy of scientific words that have come to us from Arabic, a language that has made important contributions to the English lexicon especially in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry. The source of nadir is naḍhīr, meaning "opposite"—the opposite, that is, of the zenith, the highest point of the celestial sphere which is positioned vertically above the observer. (The word zenith itself is a modification of another Arabic word that means "the way over one's head.") According to our sources, usage of nadir reached an apex in the 1980s. But worry not for the word’s future: it’s still flying high.
Examples of nadir in a Sentence
Nantucket reached its nadir in the post-Civil War period. The whaling industry had become moribund, many New Englanders had been lured to California by the discovery of gold, and the island population dropped from ten thousand in 1830 to scarcely more than three thousand in 1880.
—
David H. Wood, Antiques, August 1995
But then, at the very nadir of that dark abandoned moment, that moment of despair and sickness unto death, …
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
My nadir was the time I presented an oral book report on "Les Misérables," having read only the Classic Comics version …
—Stephen Jay Gould, New York Times Book Review, 12 Oct. 1986
The relationship between the two countries reached a nadir in the 1920s.
the discussion really reached its nadir when people resorted to name-calling
David H. Wood, Antiques, August 1995
But then, at the very nadir of that dark abandoned moment, that moment of despair and sickness unto death, …
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
My nadir was the time I presented an oral book report on "Les Misérables," having read only the Classic Comics version …
—Stephen Jay Gould, New York Times Book Review, 12 Oct. 1986
The relationship between the two countries reached a nadir in the 1920s.
the discussion really reached its nadir when people resorted to name-calling
Recent Examples on the Web
The nadir of Cresswell’s time at West Ham was his red card in the Europa League semi-final against Frankfurt.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Economists have cautioned that Thursday’s CPI report could very well mark the nadir in inflation this year as Trump’s massive and sweeping tariffs upend global order and make imports — and, likely, end-products for consumers — markedly more expensive.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Jobson, though, suggests the lack of a meeting between them does not represent a new nadir in their relationship and conflicting schedules may be the real reason.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
The nadir was undoubtedly 2023’s The Marvels as its box office of just $206.1 million gave it the lowest gross of the 35 movies in the inter-connected Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nadir
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Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Economists have cautioned that Thursday’s CPI report could very well mark the nadir in inflation this year as Trump’s massive and sweeping tariffs upend global order and make imports — and, likely, end-products for consumers — markedly more expensive.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Jobson, though, suggests the lack of a meeting between them does not represent a new nadir in their relationship and conflicting schedules may be the real reason.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
The nadir was undoubtedly 2023’s The Marvels as its box office of just $206.1 million gave it the lowest gross of the 35 movies in the inter-connected Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nadir
Cite this Entry
“Nadir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nadir. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nadir
noun
na·dir
ˈnā-ˌdi(ə)r 
ˈnād-ər
1
: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and directly under the observer
2
: the lowest point
our hopes reached their nadir
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