Definition of ZENITH (original) (raw)
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
Did you know?
When you reach the zenith, you're at the top, the pinnacle, the summit, the peak. Zenith developed from an Arabic phrase 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, which refers to 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."
Synonyms
Examples of zenith in a Sentence
at the zenith of her career as a dancer
Recent Examples on the Web New Kids on the Block keep their single at its No. 25 zenith on the Adult Pop Airplay list. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024 Maybe this is why, until very recently, Harris’s zenith as a figure on political television came during sessions of Senate questioning. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024 The adoption of Gamergate-style tactics and ideology arguably reached its zenith when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, inspired not only by Trump’s words on that day, but by weeks and months of online rhetoric posted by right-wing trolls and influencers. —David Gilbert, WIRED, 12 Aug. 2024 But the rate and scope at which judges are altering sports might be at its zenith. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for zenith 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zenith.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
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)
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of zenith was in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near zenith
Cite this Entry
“Zenith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zenith. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 17 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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