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Definition of perigee - 6 dictionary results

per⋅i⋅gee

  [per-i-jee]
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–noun Astronomy.
the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, esp. the moon, or of an artificial satellite at which it is nearest to the earth.

Origin:
1585–95; < F perigée < NL perigēum, perigaeum < Gk perígeion (sēmeîon limit), neut. of perígeios near, of the earth, equiv. to peri- peri- + -geios, adj. deriv. of gaîa, gê the earth

Related forms:
per⋅i⋅ge⋅al, per⋅i⋅ge⋅an, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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per·i·gee   (pěr'ə-jē)   


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n.  
  1. The point nearest the earth's center in the orbit of the moon or a satellite.
  2. The point in any orbit nearest to the body being orbited.

[French périgée, from Medieval Latin perigēum, from Late Greek perigeion : Greek peri-, peri- + Greek gē, earth.]
per'i·ge'al (-jē'əl), per'i·ge'an (-jē'ən) adj.
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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Perigee

Per"i*gee\, Perigeum \Per`i*ge"um\, n. [NL. perigeum, fr. Gr. ? about, near + ? the earth: cf. F. p['e]rig['e]e.] (Astron.) That point in the orbit of the moon which is nearest to the earth; -- opposed to apogee. It is sometimes, but rarely, used of the nearest points of other orbits, as of a comet, a planet, etc. Called also epigee, epigeum.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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perigee [(per-uh-jee)]

The point in the orbit of a satellite at which it is closest to its parent body. (Compare apogee.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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perigee 
"point at which a celestial body is nearest the Earth," 1594, from Mod.L. perigeum (15c.), from Late Gk. peregeion, used by Ptolemy as a noun, properly neut. of adj. perigeios "near the earth," from peri ges, from peri "near" + ges, gen. of ge "earth."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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perigee   (pěr'ə-jē)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. The point nearest Earth's center in the orbit of the Moon or an artificial satellite.
  2. The point in an orbit that is nearest to the body being orbited. Compare apogee, perihelion.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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