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AZIMUTHAL

 - 3 dictionary results

az⋅i⋅muth

  [az-uh-muhth]
Use AZIMUTHAL in a Sentence
–noun
1. Astronomy, Navigation. the arc of the horizon measured clockwise from the south point, in astronomy, or from the north point, in navigation, to the point where a vertical circle through a given heavenly body intersects the horizon.
2. Surveying, Gunnery. the angle of horizontal deviation, measured clockwise, of a bearing from a standard direction, as from north or south.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME azimut < MF ≪ Ar as sumūt the ways (i.e., directions)

Related forms:
az⋅i⋅muth⋅al  [az-uh-muhth-uhl] , adjective
az⋅i⋅muth⋅al⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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az·i·muth   (āz'ə-məth)   
n.  

  1. The horizontal angular distance from a reference direction, usually the northern point of the horizon, to the point where a vertical circle through a celestial body intersects the horizon, usually measured clockwise. Sometimes the southern point is used as the reference direction, and the measurement is made clockwise through 360°.

  2. The horizontal angle of the observer's bearing in surveying, measured clockwise from a referent direction, as from the north, or from a referent celestial body, usually Polaris.

  3. The lateral deviation of a projectile or bomb.


[Middle English azimut, from Old French, from Arabic as-sumūt, pl. of as-samt, the way, compass bearing : al-, the + samt, way (from Latin sēmita, path; see mei-1 in Indo-European roots).]
az'i·muth'al (-mŭth'əl) adj., az'i·muth'al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

azimuth 
"distance of a star from the north or south point of the meridian," c.1391, from O.Fr. azimut, from Arabic as-sumut "the ways," pl. of as-samt "the way, direction" (see zenith).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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