Nadir

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Nadir \Na"dir\ (n[=a]"d[~e]r), n. [F., Sp., & It. nadir; all fr.
     Ar. naz[imac]ru's samt nadir, prop., the point opposite the
     zenith (as samt), in which naz[imac]r means alike,
     corresponding to. Cf. {Azimuth}, {Zenith}.]
     1. That point of the heavens, or lower hemisphere, directly
        opposite the zenith; the inferior pole of the horizon; the


        point of the celestial sphere directly under the place
        where we stand.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The lowest point; the time of greatest depression.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The seventh century is the nadir of the human mind
              in Europe.                            --Hallam.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Nadir of the sun} (Astron.), the axis of the conical shadow
        projected by the earth. --Crabb.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  nadir
       n 1: an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
            [syn: {low-water mark}]
       2: the point below the observer that is directly opposite the
          zenith on the imaginary sphere against which celestial
          bodies appear to be projected [ant: {zenith}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  21 Moby Thesaurus words for "nadir":
     base, baseboard, basement, bedrock, bottom, chassis, dado, foot,
     footing, foundation, frame, keel, lower strata, lowest level,
     lowest point, mopboard, shoemold, sole, toe, underlying level,
     wainscot