Definition of zenith
1 : the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the nadir and vertically above the observer — see azimuth illustration
2 : the highest point reached in the heavens by a celestial body
3 : culminating point : acme at the zenith of his powers — John Buchan
Explore Merriam-Webster
zenith was our Word of the Day on 04/03/2016. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of zenith in a Sentence
at the zenith of her career as a dancer
Recent Examples of zenith from the Web
-
Fifty years ago, The Beatles gave birth to the pioneering opus that’s long been recognized as the psychedelic era’s creative zenith: Sgt.
-
The unlikely phenomenon reached its zenith when Future released a pair of chart-topping albums in consecutive weeks in February.
-
Some spectators even ended up shot when bullets that were fired into the sky reached their zenith then hurtled back at the head of the person who had fired it at 32 feet per second per second.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'zenith'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
When you reach the zenith, you're at the top, the pinnacle, the summit, the peak. Zenith developed from Arabic terms meaning "the way over one's head," and then traveled through Old Spanish, Medieval Latin, and Middle French before arriving in English. As long ago as the 1300s, English speakers used zenith to name the highest point in the celestial heavens, directly overhead. By the 1600s, zenith was being used for other high points as well. The celestial term is often contrasted with nadir, or the point that is vertically downward from the observer (imagine a line going through the earth from the observer's feet and out the other side into the sky). Figuratively, nadir simply means "the lowest point."
Origin and Etymology of zenith
Middle English cenyth, senyth, from Middle French cenit, from Medieval Latin, from Old Spanish zenit, modification of Arabic samt (al-ra's) way (over one's head)
ZENITH Defined for English Language Learners
zenith
playDefinition of zenith for English Language Learners
-
: the strongest or most successful period of time
-
: the highest point reached in the sky by the sun, moon, etc.
ZENITH Defined for Kids
zenith
playDefinition of zenith for Students
1 : the point in the sky directly overhead
2 : the highest point or stage She was at the zenith of her career.
Learn More about zenith
-
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for zenith Spanish Central: Translation of zenith Nglish: Translation of zenith for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of zenith for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about zenith
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up zenith? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!