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nadir

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.06 sec.
na·dir  (ndr, -dîr)
n.
1. Astronomy A point on the celestial sphere directly below the observer, diametrically opposite the zenith.
2. The lowest point: the nadir of their fortunes.

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic nar (as-samt), opposite (the zenith), from naara, to see, watch; see nr in Semitic roots.]

nadir
Noun
1. the point in the sky directly below an observer and opposite the zenith
2. the lowest or worst point of anything: I had touched the very nadir of despair [Arabic nazīr as-samt, literally: opposite the zenith]

nadir  (ndr)
The point on the celestial sphere that is directly below the observer (90 degrees below the celestial horizon). Compare zenith.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.nadir - an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
adversity, hard knocks, hardship - a state of misfortune or affliction; "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship"
2.nadir - the point below the observer that is directly opposite the zenith on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected
celestial point - a point in the heavens (on the celestial sphere)
celestial sphere, empyrean, firmament, heavens, vault of heaven, welkin, sphere - the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
zenith - the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected

nadir
noun bottom, depths, lowest point, rock bottom, all-time low << OPPOSITE height
Translations
nadir [ˈneɪdɪəʳ] n (ASTRO) → nadir m;
(fig) → punto más bajo
nadir [ˈneɪdɪəʳ] n (Astronomy) → nadir m (fig); fond m, point m extrême
nadir [ˈneɪdɪəʳ] n (fig) → Tiefstpunkt m;
(Astron) → Nadir m
nadir [ˈneɪdɪəʳ] n (ASTRONOMY) → nadir m;
(fig) → punto più basso


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
When we halted our shadows still pointed toward nadir.
Here and there nebulous masses like large flakes of starry snow; and from the zenith to the nadir, an immense ring formed by an impalpable dust of stars, the "Milky Way," in the midst of which the sun ranks only as a star of the fourth magnitude.
In the most illustrious lives as in the most obscure, in animals as in secretary-generals, there is a zenith and there is a nadir, a period when the fur is magnificent, the fortune dazzling.
 
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