Auge

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A distinctive peak or heightened state, particularly in growth or development
2. A critical moment marked by the highest degree of intensity or prominence
3. The zenith of a process or the point at which something is most successful or powerful

Etymology: "Auge" is a German word meaning "eye," from Old High German "ouga," and it is a cognate of English "eye." The sense "peak of success" does not descend from that root, so the eye etymology does not explain the meaning you have in mind. The French "auge," meaning a feeding trough, comes from Latin "alveus," a hollow or trough. That sense, too, is far from the idea of success, so neither of these ancestors accounts for the meaning given.

Synonyms: peak, height, apex, zenith, summit

Antonyms: bottom, nadir, base, low, depth