Nadir Definition

nādər, -dîr
noun
That point of the celestial sphere directly opposite to the zenith and directly below the observer.
Webster's New World
The lowest point.
Webster's New World

(astronomy) The axis of a projected conical shadow; the direction of the force of gravity at a location; down.

The nadir of the sun is the axis of the shadow projected by the Earth.
Wiktionary
(beekeeping, archaic) An empty box added beneath a full one in a beehive to give the colony more room to expand or store honey.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
verb

(beekeeping) To extend (a beehive) by adding an empty box at the base.

Wiktionary
pronoun
A male given name.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Nadir

Noun

Singular:
nadir
Plural:
nadirs

Origin of Nadir

  • Unknown. It has been suggested that it is from Arabic نَزِير (nazÄ«r, “rare, trivial"), but if it is Arabic, perhaps more likely would be نَذِير (naḍīr, “auspicious, boding well (?)") Represents the word 'rare' in hebrew

    From Wiktionary

  • From Medieval Latin nadir, from Arabic نَظِيرُ السَّمْت (naẓīru as-samt), composed of السَمْتُ (as-samt, “the zenith") and نَظِير (naẓīr, “counterpart, corresponding to").

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Medieval Latin from Arabic naẓīr (as-samt) opposite (the zenith) from naẓara to see, watch nṯr in Semitic roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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