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Webster 1913 Edition


Nadir

Na′dir

(nā′dẽr)
,
Noun.
[F., Sp., & It.
nadir
; all fr. Ar.
nazīru’s samt
nadir, prop., the point opposite the zenith (
as samt
), in which
nazīr
means alike, corresponding to. Cf.
Azimuth
,
Zenith
.]
1.
That point of the heavens, or lower hemisphere, directly opposite the zenith; the inferior pole of the horizon; the point of the celestial sphere directly under the place where we stand.
2.
The lowest point; the time of greatest depression.
The seventh century is the
nadir
of the human mind in Europe.
Hallam.
Nadir of the sun
(Astron.)
,
the axis of the conical shadow projected by the earth.
Crabb.

Webster 1828 Edition


Nadir

NADIR

,
Noun.
1.
Natara, to be like, proportional, corresponding to, opposite.
2.
That point of the heavens or lower hemisphere directly opposite to the zenith; the point directly under the place where we stand.

Definition 2024


Nadir

Nadir

See also: nadir

English

Proper noun

Nadir

  1. A male given name.

Related terms

Anagrams


Turkish

Etymology

From nadir, from Arabic نَادِر (nādir).

Proper noun

Nadir

  1. A male given name
  2. A surname.

nadir

nadir

See also: Nadir

English

Noun

nadir (plural nadirs)

Diagram showing the relationship between the zenith, the nadir, and different types of horizon. Nadir is opposite the zenith.
  1. The point of the celestial sphere, directly opposite the zenith; inferior pole of the horizon; point of the celestial sphere directly under the place where we stand.
    • 1638, Sir Thomas Herbert, Some years travels into divers parts of Asia and Afrique:
      [] when we are Nadyr to the Sunne, we have no ſhadow []
  2. (figuratively) The lowest point; time of greatest depression.
    • 1837, Henry Hallam, Introduction to the Literature of Europe in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries:
      [] the seventh century is the nadir of the human mind in Europe []
    • 1950, Elizabeth Janeway, in Helen Hull (editor), The Writer’s Book:
      In this nadir of poetic repute, when the only verse that most people read from one year’s end to the next is what appears on greetings cards, it is well for us to stop and consider our poets.
  3. (astronomy) The axis of a projected conical shadow; the direction of the force of gravity at a location; down.
    The nadir of the sun is the axis of the shadow projected by the Earth.
  4. (beekeeping, archaic) An empty box added beneath a full one in a beehive to give the colony more room to expand or store honey.

References

  • 1860, Henry Taylor, The Beekeepers Manual, page 24.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

nadir (third-person singular simple present nadirs, present participle nadiring, simple past and past participle nadired)

  1. (transitive, beekeeping) To extend (a beehive) by adding an empty box at the base.

Anagrams


French

Etymology

As for the English word.

Noun

nadir m (plural nadirs)

  1. (astronomy) nadir

Antonyms

Anagrams


Italian

Etymology

From Medieval Latin nadir, from Arabic نَظِير السَّمْت (naẓīr as-samt), composed of نَظِير (naẓīr, counterpart, corresponding to) and السَّمْت (as-samt, the zenith).

Pronunciation

  • nadìr, IPA(key): /naˈdir/

Noun

nadir m

  1. (astronomy) nadir

Antonyms

Anagrams


Portuguese

Noun

nadir m (plural nadires)

  1. nadir (point of the celestial sphere directly under the place where the observer stands)
  2. (figuratively) nadir (the lowest point)

Turkish

Etymology

From Arabic نادر

Adjective

nadir (comparative daha nadir, superlative en nadir)

  1. rare

Synonyms