meridian

Meaning

Noun

1. In full celestial meridian: a great circle passing through the poles of the celestial sphere and the zenith for a particular point on the Earth's surface.
2. (also) In full terrestrial meridian: a great circle on the Earth's surface, passing through the geographic poles (the terrestrial North Pole and South Pole); also, half of such a circle extending from pole to pole, all points of which have the same longitude.
3. (broadly) The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.
4. (broadly, figuratively) The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.
5. (broadly, figuratively, specifically) The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.
6. (broadly) A ring or half-ring with markings in which an artificial globe is installed and may spin.
7. (broadly) A line passing through the poles of any sphere; a notional line on the surface of a curved or round body (in particular, an eyeball).
8. (US, dated) The size of type between double great primer and canon, standardized as 44-point.
9. (obsolete) The south.
10. (obsolete) Midday, noon.
11. (obsolete) A midday rest; a siesta.
12. (obsolete) A particular area or situation considered as having a specific characteristic or identity; also, the characteristics, habits, or tastes of a specific group, locale, etc.
13. (Scotland, obsolete) An alcoholic drink taken at midday.

Verb

1. (also, figuratively, rare, transitive) To cause an object to reach the meridian or highest point of (something).
2. (also, figuratively, intransitive, rare) Of a celestial body: to reach its meridian.

Adj

1. (also, figuratively, not-comparable, rare) Relating to a meridian (in various senses); meridional.
2. (also, figuratively, not-comparable, rare) Relating to midday or noon.
3. (also, figuratively, not-comparable, obsolete, rare) Relating to the culmination or highest point.
4. (also, figuratively, not-comparable, obsolete, rare) Relating to the south; meridional, southern.

Synonyms

noon

🕛

longitude

midday

noontime

zenith

afternoon

peak

culmination

noonday

meridional

acme

channel

elevation

height

line of longitude

noontide

pinnacle

prime

summit

superlative

tiptop

top

🔝

warp

meridianus

principal vertical circle

transit meridian

longitude meridian

vertex

channels and collaterals

meridian line

apex

meridian circle

pass through

climax

prime of life

twelve o’clock

southern

parallel of longitude

Translations

méridien

meridiano

meridiano

Meridian

meridiano

meridiaan

μεσημβρινός

meridyen

meridià

longitude

Längengrad

toppunt

🔝

doruk

crête

Pronounced as (IPA)

/məˈɹɪ.dɪ.ən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: meridian

Cognate with Anglo-Norman: meridien

Cognate with French: méridien

In summary

The noun is derived from Late Middle English meridian, meridien (“midday, noon; position of the sun at noon; the south; longitude of a place; (astronomy) celestial meridian”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman meridien (“midday”), Middle French meridien (“midday; the south; terrestrial meridian; (astronomy) celestial meridian”) (modern French méridien), and Old French meridiane, meridiiene, and from their etymon Latin merīdiānum (“midday; position of the sun at noon; the south”), a noun use of the neuter form of merīdiānus (“relating to midday; southern”); see further at etymology 1.
Sense 1.1 (“celestial meridian”) is ultimately modelled after Latin merīdiāna līnea (“meridian line”). Sense 5.2 (“midday rest; siesta”) is modelled after Late Latin meridiana (“midday; midday rest”), probably short for Latin merīdiāna hōra (“midday time”).
The verb is derived from the noun.