Perigeum

1 definition found

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

  Perigee \Per"i*gee\, Perigeum \Per`i*ge"um\, n. [NL. perigeum,
     fr. Gr. peri` about, near + gh^ the earth: cf. F.
     p['e]rig['e]e.] (Astron.)
     That point, in the orbit of the moon or other body orbiting
     the earth, which is nearest to the earth; -- opposed to
     {apogee}. It is sometimes, but rarely, used of the nearest


     points of bodies not orbiting the earth, such as of a comet,
     a planet, etc. Called also {epigee}, {epigeum}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]