meridian
/məˈɹɪ.di.ən/ noun C2- 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.
- 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.
- Chiefly followed by of: the middle period of someone's life, when they are at their full abilities or strength; one's prime.
- A ring or half-ring with markings in which an artificial globe is installed and may spin.
- 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.
Plural meridians
From the library
The sun had nearly reached the meridian, and his scorching rays fell full on the rocks, which seemed themselves sensible of the heat.
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