Word
meridian
Phoneticsmerid·i·an
US/mɝˈɪdiən/
UK/mɛɹˈɪdiən/
Definitions
01line of longitude
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science Technical
n. an imaginary line on the Earth's surface that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole.
n. a great circle on the Earth's surface passing through the geographic poles, used to measure longitude.
“The Prime Meridian passes through Greenwich in London and marks zero degrees longitude.”
“Navigators calculate their east-west position by measuring the time difference between their local noon and the time at the prime meridian.”
Usage
Often used with 'prime' to refer to the 0° longitude line.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02highest point
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. the time when something is at its most successful or powerful point.
n. the point of highest development or perfection; a figurative peak or zenith.
“The empire reached its meridian during the eighteenth century before slowly losing power.”
“Historians often debate whether the poet was at the meridian of his creative powers when he wrote his final epic.”
Teaching tip
This sense is literary; in modern everyday speech, 'peak' or 'height' is much more common.
Antonyms
03energy pathway
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Technical
n. any of the paths in the body that energy is said to flow through in traditional Chinese medicine.
n. in traditional Chinese medicine, any of the pathways through which 'qi' or life force flows.
“Acupuncture involves placing needles at specific points along a meridian to improve health.”
“The practitioner explained that the treatment was designed to clear blockages in the lung meridian and restore balance to the body.”
04celestial circle
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Astronomy Technical
n. an imaginary circle in the sky that passes through the poles and the point directly above you.
n. a great circle passing through the celestial poles and the zenith of a particular location.
“The star will be at its highest point when it crosses the local meridian tonight.”
“Astronomers wait for a celestial body to transit the meridian to take the most accurate measurements of its altitude.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The Prime Meridian was set in 1884 using the large Transit Circle telescope built by Sir George Biddell Airy, the 7th Astronomer Royal.” “We know that meridians (lines of longitude) are north-south lines connecting the North and South Poles.” “The D quadrant covers the longitudes 90 degrees East to zero degrees, the Prime Meridian.” “The Greenwich meridian, which separates the eastern and western hemispheres, has been the reference line for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), since the late 19th Century, when railway and communications developments meant that a standard time frame was created.” In Literature
Blood Meridian · 1985-02-01 · Western novel, historical fiction
- Author:
- Cormac McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy’s 1985 historical novel follows a teenager known only as 'the kid' as he travels across the violent borderlands of the American West. The title references the geographical term to mark a specific point of transition and the inevitable movement toward a bloody destination. As the characters cross physical and moral boundaries, the story explores the dark, inescapable nature of human conflict.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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