Meridian
noun /məˈrɪd.i.ən/ — A line of longitude; also, the highest point of the sun's arc.
Definition
A great circle on the earth's surface passing through both poles, used to define longitude. Also, the time when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky — noon. Metaphorically, the peak or highest point of something's development or power.
Beyond the definition
The meridian is a way of dividing the world into here and there — an imaginary line that turned into something real the moment we needed to agree on time.
Origin & history
From Latin 'meridianus' (of noon); from 'meridies' (midday, south); from 'medius' (middle) + 'dies' (day).
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The Prime Meridian runs through Greenwich, London — not because of nature, but because Britain was the dominant maritime power when it was chosen.
She arrived at the meridian of her career — the peak visible only in retrospect, when she was already descending.
Every great empire has its meridian: the moment of greatest extent before the slow or sudden contraction.
Synonyms
longitude line, noon point, zenith, peak
Antonyms
nadir, lowest point
Related words
Meridian vs parallel
Meridians are lines of longitude running north-to-south. Parallels are lines of latitude running east-to-west.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Sunlight striking a single flower
A brilliant beam of sunlight breaks through clouds to strike a beautiful flower on a city balcony.
The moment the light hits the flower is the peak of the day's clarity, analogous to the meridian when the sun reaches its highest point. It illustrates a fleeting, decisive instance of maximum intensity and focus within a larger progression.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration