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.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Hawaii opted out of the Uniform Time Act because of how close the state is to the equator. Chandra Fleming, Detroit Free Press, 21 Feb. 2023 Impacts on Us Through the unusual heating of ocean waters along the equator in the Pacific, El Niño also affects the weather on every continent — even including Antarctica. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023

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

Dictionary Entries Near the equator

Cite this Entry

“The equator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20equator. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

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