meridian

/məˈɹɪ.dɪ.ən/

meridian means A number of places in the United States:; A ghost town in Humboldt County, California.

meridian is pronounced /məˈɹɪ.dɪ.ən/.

Why “meridian” is a great word

A great circle on the Earth's surface passing through the geographic poles, or its corresponding circle in the celestial sphere. From Late Middle English, via Middle French and Old French meridiane, from Latin merīdiānus ("of midday, southern"), from merīdiēs ("midday, noon; the south"), a dissimilated form of Old Latin medīdiēs, from medius ("middle") + diēs ("day"). Unlike a "parallel," which runs parallel to the equator in a circle of constant latitude, or a "zenith," which is a single, fixed point directly overhead, the meridian is a line of convergence—the sundial's decisive shadow at high noon, the navigator's absolute reference in a trackless ocean, and the astronomer's arc dividing the observable heavens into east and west. It is the human imposition of linear order upon a spherical world, an invisible spine drawn from pole to pole through the very center of one's position, a reminder that even the most absolute directions must pass through a point of burning, temporary stillness.

Etymology

From Late Middle English meridian, meridien (“relating to midday or noon; southern; (astronomy) relating to the celestial meridian”) [and other forms], from Middle French meridien, Old French meridiane (“relating to midday; southern”) (whence Anglo-Norman meridien; modern French méridien), and from their etymon Latin merīdiānus (“relating to midday; southern”), from merīdiēs (“midday, noon; the south (due to the southward orientation of the sun at noon in the Northern Hemisphere)”) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’). Merīdiēs is a dissimilated form of Old Latin medīdiēs (with the -d- sound shifted to -r-), from medius (“middle”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“middle”)) + diēs (“day”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- (“heaven, sky;

name

A number of places in the United States:; A ghost town in Humboldt County, California.
A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Kern County, California.
A number of places in the United States:; A neighborhood of San Jose, Santa Clara County, California.
A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Sutter County, California, United States.
A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community and census-designated place in Douglas County, Colorado.
A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Leon County, Florida.
A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in McIntosh County, Georgia.
A number of places in the United States:; A sizable city in Ada County, Idaho.
A number of places in the United States:; A township in Clinton County, Illinois.
A number of places in the United States:; A charter township in Ingham County, Michigan.
A number of places in the United States:; A city, the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States.
A number of places in the United States:; A ghost town in Jefferson County, Nebraska.
A number of places in the United States:; A village in Cayuga County, New York.
A number of places in the United States:; A town in Logan County, Oklahoma.
A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Stephens County, Oklahoma.

noun

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.
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.“In this Place of Venus the Hour and Amplitude of the Sun's Riſing, for one Half of the Year, are the ſame with thoſe of his Setting in the other Half; which will alſo happen in all Places under the firſt Meridian, where he riſes and ſets: […]”
The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.“This vvonderful perſon ſtruck Medals, vvhich he diſperſed as Tickets to his ſubſcribers: The device, a Star riſing to the Meridian, vvith this Motto, Ad Summa [To the highest]; and belovv, Inveniam Viam aut faciam [I shall either find a way or make one].”
The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.; The highest or most developed point, or most splendid stage, of something; culmination, peak, zenith.“I haue touch'd the higheſt point of all my Greatneſſe, / And from that full Meridian of my Glory, / I haſte novv to my Setting. I ſhall fall / Like a bright exhalation in the Euening, / And no man ſee me more.”
The place on the celestial meridian where it is crossed by the sun or a star at its highest point.; Chiefly followed by of: the middle period of someone's life, when they are at their full abilities or strength; one's prime.“Natures that haue much Heat, and great and violent deſires and Perturbations, are not ripe for Action, till they haue paſſed the Meridian of their yeares: As it was with Iulius Cæſar, and Septimius Seuerus.”
A ring or half-ring with markings in which an artificial globe is installed and may spin.“Call to mind thy dream, / An earthly globe, / On whoſe meridian was engraven, / Theſe ſeas are tears, and heav'n the haven.”
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).
The size of type between double great primer and canon, standardized as 44-point.
The south.“[T]he figure of the very earth, vvhich together vvith the vvater, is by the ſame arguments knovvne to be like a Globe: for ſo doubtleſſe it commeth to paſſe, that vvith us the ſtars about the North pole, never go dovvn; and thoſe contrarivviſe of the Meridian, never riſe.”
Midday, noon.“He acts his vvhole life on this earthly ſtage, / In Child-hood, Youth, Man-hood, Decripit age. / The very day that doth afford him light, / Is Morning, the Meridian, Evening, Night.”
A midday rest; a siesta.“"As we have," he said, "in the course of this our toilsome journey, lost our meridian, indulgence shall be given to those of our attendants who shall, from very weariness, be unable to attend the duty at prime, and this by way of misericord or indulgentia."”
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.“Diet, […] comprehends thoſe ſixe non naturall things, vvhich I haue before ſpecified, are eſpeciall cauſes, and being rectified, a ſole or chiefe part of the Cure. […] VVhich hovvſoeuer I treat of, as proper to the Meridian of melancholy, yet neuertheleſſe that vvhich is here ſaid, vvill generally ſerue moſt other diſeaſes, and eaſe them likevviſe, if it be obſerued.”
An alcoholic drink taken at midday.“Plumdamas joined the other two gentlemen in taking their meridian (a bumper-dram of brandy), as they passed the well-known low-browed shop in the Lawn-Market, where they were wont to take that refreshment.”
Any of the pathways on the body along which chi or qi (life force) is thought to flow and, therefore, the acupoints are distributed; especially, one of twelve such pathways associated with organs of the body.

verb

To cause an object to reach the meridian or highest point of (something).“Simultaneously with the coming of the mist over earth and sea, where both seem merged into one, slowly and exactly at the same time on each side to the right and left rise and form gorgeous rainbows, that move gently up the sky. They ascend in pairs of the most brilliant color and hue. Upward they move until all the sky is meridianed with bows, which meet in a grand symphony of color in the zenith”
Of a celestial body: to reach its meridian.“At the opposition of 1892 [James Edward] Keeler […] found, on comparing his drawings meridianed by Marth ephemeris with photographs of a globe made by him from [Giovanni] Schiaparelli's chart and set to the longitude and latitude of the time of observation: […]”

adj

Relating to a meridian (in various senses); meridional.“[T]he Tuſcanes have devided the Heaven into 16 parts. The firſt, is from the North to the Sunnes riſing in the Equinoctiall line: the ſecond, to the Meridian line, or the South: the third, to the Sunne ſetting in the Equinoctiall: and the fourth, taketh up all the reſt from the ſaid VVest to the North ſtarre.”
Relating to midday or noon.“At the meridian hour he [Philippikos Bardanes] withdrew to his chamber, intoxicated with flattery and wine, and forgetful that his example had made every ſubject ambitious, and that every ambitious ſubject was his ſecret enemy.”
Relating to the culmination or highest point.“This obvious difference marked the two portions of the empire with a diſtinction of colours, which, though it was in ſome degree concealed during the meridian ſplendor of proſperity, became gradually more viſible, as the ſhades of night deſcended upon the Roman world.”
Relating to the south; meridional, southern.“A stranger loves the lady of the land, / Born far beyond the mountains, but his blood / Is all meridian, as if never fann'd / By the black wind that chills the polar flood.”

Words closest in meaning

By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.

zenith 85% match — The point in the sky vertically above a given position or observer; the point in the celestial sphere opposite the nadir. vs meridian →
latitude 84% match — The angular distance north or south from a planet's equator, measured along the meridian of that particular point. vs meridian →
noontide 84% match — Midday, noon. vs meridian →
pinnacle 81% match — The highest point. vs meridian →
rhumb 81% match — A line which crosses successive meridians at a constant angle. vs meridian →
apex 81% match — The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point. vs meridian →
celestial 80% match — Of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are visible. vs meridian →
noonmark 80% match — A mark made on a structure to align with the sun at noon for the purpose of timekeeping. vs meridian →