Nadir
noun /ˈneɪ.dɪər/ — The lowest point; the opposite of the zenith
Definition
The point in the sky directly below the observer — or figuratively, the lowest point of fortune, experience, or achievement. The bottom of the arc.
Beyond the definition
The word that names the bottom with precision and without shame. To reach the nadir is to have gone as low as it goes — which also means the only direction is up.
Origin & history
From Arabic 'naẓīr' (opposite to) — in 'naẓīr as-samt' (opposite the zenith). Entered English via Medieval Latin and Old French.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The nadir of the crisis came in the third week, when everything they'd tried had failed.
There is something oddly clarifying about the nadir — at the bottom, the priorities simplify.
He described that year as the nadir of his career, and meant it as a turning point, not a condemnation.
Synonyms
low point, bottom, trough, depth, rock bottom
Antonyms
Related words
Nadir vs perigee
Nadir is used figuratively to describe the absolute lowest point of decline. Perigee is the scientific term for the point in an orbit closest to Earth, rarely used as a metaphor for failure.
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
Lowest Point of Fortune
An adult sits in a dark, somber room looking at an empty chair, with low, somber lighting emphasizing their profound sense of loss.
The nadir is the point directly below an observer or, figuratively, the lowest point of fortune. The person's isolation, the darkness of the room, and the focus on the empty chair serve as a visual analogy for the nadir: they are experiencing the 'bottom of the arc' in their emotional life.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration