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 ideal time for Feige to seize the Star Wars empire’s throne was after the mic drop that was two back-to-back blockbuster Avengers movies (2018’s Infinity War and 2019’s Endgame), back when Marvel was at a zenith. —James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025

And there have always been wineries that hold back a premium vintage longer than usual before releasing, waiting until a wine nears its zenith to be offered. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2025

Many thought the zenith had already been reached between 2018 and 2021. —James Horncastle, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024

The single went to No. 1 and made Gore one of the youngest singers to reach that zenith. —Darlene Aderoju, People.com, 4 Nov. 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