zenith

noun

ze·​nith ˈzē-nəth 

 Canadian also and British usually  ˈze-nəth,

-nith

1

: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the nadir and vertically above the observer see azimuth illustration

2

: the highest point reached in the heavens by a celestial body

3

: culminating point : acme

at the zenith of his powers

—John Buchan

Did you know?

Reaching the Zenith

When you reach the zenith, you're at the top, the pinnacle, the summit, the peak. Zenith developed from an Arabic phrase meaning "the way over one's head," and then traveled through Old Spanish, Medieval Latin, and Middle French before arriving in English. As long ago as the 1300s, English speakers used zenith to name the highest point in the celestial heavens, directly overhead. By the 1600s, zenith was being used for other high points as well. The celestial term is often contrasted with nadir, which refers to the point that is vertically downward from the observer (imagine a line going through the Earth from the observer's feet and out the other side into the sky). Figuratively, nadir simply means "the lowest point."

Synonyms

• acme
• apex
• apogee
• capstone
• climax
• crescendo
• crest
• crown
• culmination
• head
• height
• high noon
• high-water mark
• meridian
• ne plus ultra
• noon
• noontime
• peak
• pinnacle
• sum
• summit
• tip-top
• top

Examples of zenith in a Sentence

at the zenith of her career as a dancer

Recent Examples on the Web

The best way to hold monoculars steady is to use two hands – one in front of the other – and use gravity when observing something at the zenith, allowing your eye socket to gently support their weight. —Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025

In 1980, Spacek reached a career zenith with her Oscar-winning performance as the legendary Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter. —Marc Berman, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024

Accommodation in the valley reaches its zenith at Bruma Wine Resort, a masterpiece of sustainable architecture where modernist design meets natural beauty. —Shelby Knick, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

To that point, the job of an editor has evolved considerably since Graydon Carter, Anna Wintour and Tina Brown created the paradigm in the turn-of-the-century zenith of magazines. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cenyth, senyth, from Middle French cenit, from Medieval Latin, from Old Spanish zenit, modification of Arabic samt (al-ra's) way (over one's head)

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

zenith

noun

ze·​nith ˈzē-nəth 

1

: the point in the heavens directly overhead

2

: the highest point