the equator
noun
: an imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth that is the same distance from the North Pole and the South Pole
The city of Quito, Ecuador, lies very close to the equator.
Examples of the equator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Because the angle of Earth‘s magnetic field varies from the poles to the equator, these minerals act as a prehistoric GPS, allowing geoscientists to pinpoint a rock’s original location on the globe and chart its journey over millions of years.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
Computer model projections show this broad hotter-than-average region morphing into an El Niño along the equator over time, while the smaller, closer-in marine heat wave continues to bake the waters off the California coast, potentially even into the fall and winter months, Amaya said.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
The twin-engine upper stage was supposed to complete two burns to place AST SpaceMobile’s direct-to-cell satellite into an orbit approximately 285 miles (460 kilometers) above the Earth at inclination of 49 degrees to the equator.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 Apr. 2026
According to Scripps, the warm water temperatures are not being driven by El Niño or warming at the equator, but by persistent high-pressure systems that reduce winds and upwelling, a movement that pulls colder nutrient-rich water to the surface.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
Computer model projections show this broad hotter-than-average region morphing into an El Niño along the equator over time, while the smaller, closer-in marine heat wave continues to bake the waters off the California coast, potentially even into the fall and winter months, Amaya said.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
The twin-engine upper stage was supposed to complete two burns to place AST SpaceMobile’s direct-to-cell satellite into an orbit approximately 285 miles (460 kilometers) above the Earth at inclination of 49 degrees to the equator.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 Apr. 2026
According to Scripps, the warm water temperatures are not being driven by El Niño or warming at the equator, but by persistent high-pressure systems that reduce winds and upwelling, a movement that pulls colder nutrient-rich water to the surface.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the equator
Cite this Entry
“The equator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20equator. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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