winter solstice


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Related to winter solstice: summer solstice, equinox

winter solstice

n.
1. In the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice that occurs on or about December 21.
2. In the Southern Hemisphere, the solstice that occurs on or about June 21.
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.

winter solstice

n
1. (Astronomy) the time at which the sun is at its southernmost point in the sky (northernmost point in the S hemisphere) appearing at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon. It occurs about December 22 (June 21 in the S hemisphere)
2. (Astronomy) astronomy the point on the celestial sphere, opposite the summer solstice, at which the ecliptic is furthest south from the celestial equator. Right ascension: 18 hours; declination: –23.5°
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

win′ter sol′stice


n.
the solstice on or about December 21 that marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
[1625–35]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

winter solstice

In the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice that occurs on December 21 or 22, marking the beginning of winter and the day of the year with the shortest period of sunlight. Compare summer solstice.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.winter solstice - December 22, when the sun is at its southernmost point
solstice - either of the two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator
winter, wintertime - the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
June 21, midsummer, summer solstice - June 21, when the sun is at its northernmost point
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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