zenith

noun

ze·​nith ˈzē-nəth 

 Canadian also and British usually  ˈze-nəth,

-nith

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

Did you know?

Reaching the Zenith

When you reach the zenith, you're at the top, the pinnacle, the summit, the peak. Zenith developed from an Arabic phrase 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, which refers to 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."

Synonyms of zenith

• pinnacle
• height
• peak
• culmination
• top
• apex

Examples of zenith in a Sentence

at the zenith of her career as a dancer

Recent Examples on the Web

And with both genres still at the zenith of their popularity in Asia, why change a winning formula? —Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025

Then, pick a patch of sky 40 degrees away in the direction of your local zenith, which is the point directly above your head. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025

Kiss was at its commercial zenith. —Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025

That ribbon is more formally known as the Milky Way band, stretching from the northeast horizon, through the overhead zenith, and on to the south-southwest horizon. —Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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)

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

zenith

noun

ze·​nith ˈzē-nəth 

1

: the point in the heavens directly overhead

2

: the highest point