nadir

[ ney-der, ney-deer ]
See synonyms for nadir on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Astronomy. the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath a given position or observer and diametrically opposite the zenith.

  2. Astrology. the point of a horoscope opposite the midheaven: the cusp of the fourth house.

  1. the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair.

Origin of nadir

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English nadir, nader, nadair, from Middle French nadir “point opposite the zenith,” from Medieval Latin nadir “point opposite the sun,” from Arabic naẓīr (as-samt) “opposite (the zenith)”; see also zenith

Other words for nadir

Other words from nadir

  • na·dir·al, adjective

Words that may be confused with nadir

Words Nearby nadir

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How to use nadir in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for nadir

nadir

/ (ˈneɪdɪə, ˈnæ-) /


noun
  1. the point on the celestial sphere directly below an observer and diametrically opposite the zenith

  2. the lowest or deepest point; depths: the nadir of despair

Origin of nadir

1
C14: from Old French, from Arabic nazīr as-samt, literally: opposite the zenith

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for nadir

nadir

[ dər ]


  1. The point on the celestial sphere that is directly below the observer (90 degrees below the celestial horizon). Compare zenith.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.