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
From the M-W Editors
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
-
Do not pretend that this moment is the zenith of human expertise and imagination.
-
However, that magical 2014-15 regular season proved to be the zenith of Hawks basketball in the 2000s.
-
The perception of impropriety reached its zenith two years ago, when a lackluster Mexico team – the biggest draw at the gate – reached the final only after a series of phantom penalty kicks awarded suspiciously late in games.
-
That's one of the rules that creates Star Trek's idea of the future, where humanity has reached its zenith to explore the reaches of space.
-
Along the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° north latitude), the sun appears at zenith –
-
Watergate is often seen as the zenith of modern political scandal.
-
Kerry Packer had been Australia’s most famous businessman—at his zenith more famous than even News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch, his principal rival.
-
Helmut Kohl, the long-serving former chancellor whose life in the political limelight spanned the joyous zenith of German reunification and the shattering nadir of a corruption scandal, died Friday at his home in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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.
Reaching the zenith
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!