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

One commuter recounted a miserable week in June that hit its nadir on Thursday the 20th, when his train home to South Orange was canceled from Penn Station, forcing him to try to get home from Hoboken, whereupon that train ended up getting canceled too. —Nolan Hicks, Curbed, 28 Oct. 2024

For example, the water level of a large Amazon River tributary recently sunk to a 122-year nadir, complicating the traditional ways of life for indigenous communities. —Henna Hundal, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

After its nadir in the early post-Soviet era, Russian military power has been revived—and will only improve in the coming decade, even as American policymakers turn their attention to China. —Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021

Source of wealth: Facebook Meta has rebounded in a big way from its 2022 nadir, including a 75% jump over the past 12 months. —Samantha Kroontje, Forbes, 1 Oct. 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