EQUINOX

equinox

(noun) either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator and day and night are of equal length

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

equinox (plural equinoxes or equinoctes)

(astronomy) The intersection of the apparent path of the sun in the sky (the ecliptic) with the celestial equator.

One of the two days on which this intersection occurs each year: (for the Northern hemisphere) March 20 or 21 in the spring and September 22 or 23 in the autumn.

Hyponyms

• autumn equinox

• autumnal equinox

• March equinox

• September equinox

• spring equinox

• vernal equinox

Coordinate terms

• solstice

Source: Wiktionary


E"qui*nox, n. Etym: [OE. equinoxium, equenoxium, L. aequinoctium; aequus equal + nox, noctis, night: cf. F. équinoxe. See Equal, and Night.]

1. The time when the sun enters one of the equinoctial points, that is, about March 21 and September 22. See Autumnal equinox, Vernal equinox, under Autumnal and Vernal. When descends on the Atlantic The gigantic Stormwind of the equinox. Longfellow.

2. Equinoctial wind or storm. [R.] Dryden.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

22 January 2025

MEGALITH

(noun) memorial consisting of a very large stone forming part of a prehistoric structure (especially in western Europe)


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

The average annual yield from one coffee tree is the equivalent of 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of roasted coffee. It takes about 4,000 hand-picked green coffee beans to make a pound of coffee.

coffee icon