nadir

noun

na·​dir ˈnā-ˌdir  ˈnā-dər 

1

: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer

2

: the lowest point

Illustration of nadir

• 1 nadir
• 2 observer
• 3 zenith

Did you know?

Nadir Has Arabic Roots

Nadir is part of the galaxy of scientific words that have come to us from Arabic, a language that has made important contributions to the English lexicon especially in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry. The source of nadir is naḍhīr, meaning "opposite"—the opposite, that is, of the zenith, the highest point of the celestial sphere which is positioned vertically above the observer. (The word zenith itself is a modification of another Arabic word that means "the way over one's head.") According to our sources, usage of nadir reached an apex in the 1980s. But worry not for the word’s future: it’s still flying high.

Synonyms

• bedrock
• bottom
• depth
• rock bottom
• zero

Examples of nadir in a Sentence

Nantucket reached its nadir in the post-Civil War period. The whaling industry had become moribund, many New Englanders had been lured to California by the discovery of gold, and the island population dropped from ten thousand in 1830 to scarcely more than three thousand in 1880. —David H. Wood, Antiques, August 1995

But then, at the very nadir of that dark abandoned moment, that moment of despair and sickness unto death, … —T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993

My nadir was the time I presented an oral book report on "Les Misérables," having read only the Classic Comics version … —Stephen Jay Gould, New York Times Book Review, 12 Oct. 1986

The relationship between the two countries reached a nadir in the 1920s.

the discussion really reached its nadir when people resorted to name-calling

Recent Examples on the Web

With 11 events this season, Next Wave seems to be on the rebound from its nadir in 2023, when only eight works were presented, but that’s still far below the 31 that were staged in 2017. —Frank Rose, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025

Just four of his 21 Championship games were won, culminating in the nadir of a horrible 5-1 defeat away to Colchester in the November. —Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025

Sacramento is 13-18 on the season and has lost 12 of its last 17 games — a slide that sank to its nadir with a brutal last-second loss to the Pistons on Thursday night. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024

The nadir of female labor force participation represents the dramatic opportunity cost created by technological development rendering a woman’s earning potential outside the home much higher than the costs saved by two to three hours of subsistence housework. —Tiana Lowe Doescher, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Arabic naḍhīr opposite

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

nadir

noun

na·​dir ˈnā-ˌdi(ə)r 

ˈnād-ər

1

: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and directly under the observer

2

: the lowest point

our hopes reached their nadir