aphelion
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a·phe·li·on
(ə-fē′lē-ən, ăp-hē′-)n. pl. a·phe·li·a (-lē-ə)
The point on the orbit of a celestial body that is farthest from the sun.
[From New Latin aphēlium : Greek apo-, apo- + Greek hēlios, sun; see sāwel- in Indo-European 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.
aphelion
(æpˈhiːlɪən; əˈfiː-)n, pl -lia (-lɪə)
(Astronomy) the point in its orbit when a planet or comet is at its greatest distance from the sun. Compare perihelion
[C17: from New Latin aphēlium (with pseudo-Greek ending -ion) from ap- + Greek hēlios sun]
apˈhelian adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
a•phe•li•on
(əˈfi li ən, əˈfil yən, æpˈhi li ən)n., pl. a•phe•li•a (əˈfi li ə, əˈfil yə, æpˈhi li ə)
the point in the orbit of a planet or a comet at which it is farthest from the sun. Compare perihelion.
[1650–60; Hellenized form of New Latin aphēlium < Greek *aphḗlion (diástēma) off-sun (distance), neuter of *aphḗlios (adj.) =ap- ap-2 + -hēlios, adj. derivative of hḗlios sun. See apogee]
a•phe′li•an, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
a·phe·li·on
(ə-fē′lē-ən) The point farthest from the sun in the orbit of a body, such as a planet or a comet, that travels around the sun.
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.
aphelion
the point in the orbit of a heavenly body where it is farthest from the sun. Cf. perihelion.
See also: Astronomythe point in the orbit of a heavenly body where it is farthest from the sun. See also perihelion.
See also: Planets-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
aphelion
The point in a planet’s orbit at which it is farthest from the Sun.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
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Noun | 1. | aphelion - apoapsis in solar orbit; the point in the orbit of a planet or comet that is at the greatest distance from the sun apoapsis, point of apoapsis - (astronomy) the point in an orbit farthest from the body being orbited perihelion - periapsis in solar orbit; the point in the orbit of a planet or comet where it is nearest to the sun |
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