meridian
/məˈrɪdiən/
noun
Origin
Latin
meridianus — of midday
Overview
Meaning Now
- A circle of constant longitude passing through a given place on the Earth's surface and the terrestrial poles.
- The highest point or stage of development; a peak or zenith.
- Noon; the middle of the day.
Literal older meaning
of or relating to midday
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
meridian
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term is fundamentally tied to the solar position. In Roman times, 'meridies' referred to the time when the sun was at its highest point (noon) and also the direction of the sun at that time (south). This explains why 'meridian' in geography refers to a north-south line, reflecting the solar trajectory across the sky.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*medyos
“middle”
- Latin
meridies
“midday, noon, south”
Combination of medius (middle) and dies (day)
- Latin
meridianus
“pertaining to noon”
- Old French
meridien
“midday”
- Middle English
meridian
“midday, line of longitude”
Connections
Word parts
merid-
root
middle
-ian
suffix
pertaining to
Related across languages
French
méridien
meridian
Spanish
meridiano
meridian
Explore next
Related to meridian
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.