Apogee

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæp.ə.d͡ʒi/

Definitions

1. The farthest point in an orbit from a celestial body marks the highest elevation of an object, representing both a peak in its trajectory and a metaphorical zenith in achievements
2. An orbital location at maximum distance from the planet signifies the apex of elevation, while also embodying the peak performance or success in various endeavors
3. The point in an orbit where an object is most distant from Earth ; the utmost level or climax reached in a person's career or in some development

Etymology: Ancient Greek astronomers built the word from two ordinary pieces: "apó," meaning "away," and "gê," meaning "Earth." Their "apógeion" described the point where a body in the sky was farthest from the Earth, and that literal sense is still visible in the word's structure. Medieval Latin writers took it up as "apogaeum" and "apogeum," and the term passed into French as "apogée" before reaching English. The word's meaning has stayed close to its astronomical origin, though it has also travelled into figurative use. Where the Greek term named a precise geometric point in a planet's or the Moon's path, English speakers now use "apogee" for any peak, a moment of greatest success or intensity. Its opposite, "perigee," follows the same pattern, built from "peri," meaning "around" or "near," and so describes the nearest point.

Synonyms: summit, peak, zenith

Antonyms: perigee, bottom