apogean

apogee

ap·o·gee

 (ăp′ə-jē)

n.

1.

a. Astronomy The point in an orbit around the planet Earth where the orbiting body is farthest from the planet.

b. The analogous point in an orbit around a celestial body other than Earth. Not in technical use.

2. The farthest or highest point; the apex: "The golden age of American sail, which began with the fast clipper ships in 1848, reached its apogee in the Gold Rush years" (Los Angeles Times).

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[French apogée, from New Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion, from neuter of apogaios, far from the earth : apo-, apo- + gaia, earth.]

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ap′o·ge′an (-jē′ən) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

apogean - relating to or characteristic of an apogee; "apogean tides occur when the moon is at the apogee of its orbit"

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