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