Summit

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsʌmɪt/

Definitions

1. The pinnacle of a mountain or hill serves as a geographical high point, while also denoting a crucial assembly of leaders discussing major global issues
2. The topmost part of a natural elevation such as a mountain or hill ; a gathering of prominent figures for high-level talks and negotiations
3. The highest physical point reached on a mountain or hill ; a formal meeting where leaders discuss important matters

Etymology: The English noun "summit" arrived from French, and its French ancestor was a little diminutive. Old French had "som" or "sum," meaning the highest point, and the French added the suffix "-et" to make a small, masculine version of it, "somet." That gave Late Middle English forms such as "somet" and "somete," which first meant simply the head or top of something, not specifically a mountain peak. Behind "som" stands Latin "summum," the neuter noun use of "summus," meaning "greatest" or "highest." The Latin adjective was itself built on a superlative ending attached to a root meaning "over," so the word's core idea has always been "the most above." The Latin neuter noun took on the sense of "top" in the same way English speakers now say "the top" or "the peak." The modern spelling is not purely French, though. An obsolete English word, "summity," meaning height or the utmost degree, was in circulation, and it appears to have pulled the spelling toward its own form, leaving "summit" with the look it has today.

Synonyms: peak, crest, tip, apex, zenith

Antonyms: bottom, valley, depression, low point, nadir