Meridian

Pronunciation: /məˈrɪdiən/

Definitions of Meridian

noun the highest point reached by the sun in its daily course

Example Sentences

A1 The sun reaches its highest point at noon on the meridian.

A2 The equator is an imaginary line that runs along the Earth's meridian.

B1 The prime meridian passes through Greenwich, England.

B2 Longitude is measured in degrees east or west of the prime meridian.

C1 Navigational charts often include lines of latitude and meridians of longitude.

C2 The International Date Line is located opposite the prime meridian.

Examples of Meridian in a Sentence

formal The Prime Meridian is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

informal Let's meet at the meridian line in Greenwich for a photo!

slang I heard that new club is the meridian for cool people.

figurative The artist believed that the meridian of creativity was reached during moments of solitude.

Grammatical Forms of Meridian

• past tense: meridianed
• plural: meridians
• comparative: more meridian
• superlative: most meridian
• present tense: meridians
• future tense: will meridian
• perfect tense: have meridianed
• continuous tense: is meridianing
• singular: meridian
• positive degree: meridian
• infinitive: to meridian
• gerund: meridianing
• participle: meridianed

Origin and Evolution of Meridian

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'Meridian' originated from the Latin word 'meridianus', which means 'of midday' or 'of noon'. It is derived from the Latin word 'meridies', which means 'midday' or 'south'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'Meridian' evolved from simply referring to midday or noon to specifically denoting the imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and passes through a specific place on Earth. It is commonly used in geography and astronomy to indicate longitude and time zones.