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nounnoun

le zénith

zenith

Definition & meaning

Zénith is a masculine French noun, pronounced roughly zay-NEET.

  1. Astronomy: The point in the sky directly above an observer. It is opposite the nadir—the point directly beneath them.
  2. Figurative: The highest point or peak of something, such as a career, success, or influence.

In France, Zénith is also used in the names of large indoor concert venues.

Grammar & Word origin

The plural is zéniths. The word comes through medieval Latin from Arabic samt ar-raʾs, meaning “direction of the head.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms include sommet , “summit” or “peak”; apogée , “highest point” or “climax”; and point culminant , “culminating point.” These are mainly figurative equivalents; zénith also has a precise astronomical meaning.

The main antonym is nadir , the point opposite the zenith in the sky. Figuratively, point le plus bas means “lowest point.”

Common phrases & collocations

  • être au zénith — to be at one’s peak
  • atteindre son zénith — to reach one’s zenith
  • le soleil au zénith — the sun at its highest point in the sky

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Examples

Le soleil est au zénith.noun

The sun is at its zenith.

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