nadir

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na·dir

(nā′dər, -dîr′)

1. Astronomy A point on the celestial sphere directly below the observer, diametrically opposite the zenith.

2. The lowest point: the nadir of their fortunes.

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic naẓīr (as-samt), opposite (the zenith), from naẓara, to see, watch; see nṯ̣r in Semitic roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nadir

(ˈneɪdɪə; ˈnæ-)

1. (Astronomy) the point on the celestial sphere directly below an observer and diametrically opposite the zenith

2. the lowest or deepest point; depths: the nadir of despair.

[C14: from Old French, from Arabic nazīr as-samt, literally: opposite the zenith]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

na•dir

(ˈneɪ dər, -dɪər)

n.

1. the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath a given position or observer and diametrically opposite the zenith.

2. the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair.

[1350–1400; Middle English « Arabic naẓīr over against, opposite to (the zenith)]

na′dir•al, adj.

na·dir

(nā′dər)

The point on the celestial sphere that is directly below the observer.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

zenith, nadir - Zenith derived from Arabic samt ar-ras, "the way or road above one's head"; zenith technically is the point directly above the observer and nadir is the point directly below.

nadir

noun bottom, depths, lowest point, rock bottom, all-time low That period was the nadir of his presidency.
top, summit, height, peak, climax, crest, high point, pinnacle, zenith, apex, acme

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

Nadir

aallonpohjanadiiri

nadir

[ˈneɪdɪəʳ] N (Astron) → nadir m (fig) → punto m más bajo, nadir m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

nadir

[ˈneɪdɪə^r ˈnædɪə^r] n

[career, history] → pire moment m

(ASTRONOMY) → nadir m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

nadir

(Astron) → Nadir m, → Fußpunkt m

(fig) → Tiefstpunkt m; the nadir of despair → tiefste Verzweiflung

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

nadir

[ˈneɪdɪəʳ] n (Astron) → nadir m (fig) → punto più basso

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in classic literature ?

He was fond of comparing himself to Mahomet's coffin, attracted in two different directions by two loadstones, and hesitating eternally between the heights and the depths, between the vault and the pavement, between fall and ascent, between zenith and nadir.

View in context

When we halted our shadows still pointed toward nadir. Whether an instant or an eternity of earthly time elapsed who may say.

View in context

Here and there nebulous masses like large flakes of starry snow; and from the zenith to the nadir, an immense ring formed by an impalpable dust of stars, the "Milky Way," in the midst of which the sun ranks only as a star of the fourth magnitude.

View in context

In the most illustrious lives as in the most obscure, in animals as in secretary-generals, there is a zenith and there is a nadir, a period when the fur is magnificent, the fortune dazzling.

View in context

It is to be recalled that three brothers were gunned down on May 25 over a land dispute in the hujra o Nadir Khan, a local landlord, in Ali Jan Kalay area.

Interpol arrests murder suspect in Malaysia

At the end of the session, Sayyid Nadir honoured the poets participating in the evening.

POETRY SESSION HELD AS PART OF YANQUL FORUM

Irfan Sammu said Nadir was wanted in other cases as well.

CTD arrests mastermind behind Nawabshah blast

In their separate condolence messages to Zulfiqar Gurmani and Nadir Gurmani, they expressed their heartfelt grief and sorrow over the death of their father, said a press release issued here.

NA Speaker, Dy Speaker condole with Nadir Gurmani

But the irresistible love of painting took over, Nadir transferred to the evening department of the medical institute and again returned to the art school.

Nadir Abdurahmanov left his mark on national art history

The award winner Nadir Ali Jamali who met with the Vice Chancellor University of Sindh Jamshoro Prof.

SU teacher clinches Best Pak-China Artist's Award

"We don't get Nadir if he's at the top of his game.

Robinson: Ciftci can do Well at Fir Park

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Noun	1.	nadir - an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything low-water mark adversity, hard knocks, hardship - a state of misfortune or affliction; "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship"
	2.	nadir - the point below the observer that is directly opposite the zenith on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected celestial point - a point in the heavens (on the celestial sphere) celestial sphere, empyrean, firmament, heavens, vault of heaven, welkin, sphere - the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected zenith - the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected