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nadir

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nadir¹

  • /ˈneɪˌdɪə(ɹ)/ UK
  • /ˈnæd.ɪə(ɹ)/ UK
  • /ˈneɪ.də(ɹ)/ UK
  • /neɪˈdɪə(ɹ)/ UK
  • /ˈneɪˌdɪɚ/ US
  • /ˈneɪ.dɚ/ US
  • /neɪˈdɪɚ/ US

Rhymes with -eɪdə(ɹ), -ɪə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Medieval Latin nadir, from Arabic نَظِير السَّمْت (naẓīr as-samt), composed of نَظِير (naẓīr, “counterpart, corresponding to”) and السَّمْت (as-samt, “the zenith”).

noun nadirs

  1. The point of the celestial sphere, directly opposite the zenith; inferior pole of the horizon; point of the celestial sphere directly under the place of observation. […] when we are Nadyr to the Sunne, we have no ſhadow […]

    Similar: antizenith · Opposite: zenith

  2. figuratively The lowest point; time of greatest depression. Near-synonym: dead

    Similar: slough of despond, trough, bathos, low point, low-water mark, dead · Opposite: height, peak

  3. The axis of a projected conical shadow; the direction of the force of gravity at a location; down. The nadir of the sun is the axis of the shadow projected by the Earth.

    Similar: down

  4. archaic An empty box added beneath a full one in a beehive to give the colony more room to expand or store honey.

    Opposite: duplet, super

verb nadirs · nadiring · nadired

  1. transitive To extend (a beehive) by adding an empty box at the base.

Nadir²

Where it comes from

Unknown. It has been suggested that it is from Arabic نَزِير (nazīr, “rare, trivial”), but if it is Arabic, perhaps more likely would be نَذِير (naḏīr, “auspicious, boding well (?)”). Represents the word 'rare' in Hebrew.

proper noun

  1. A male given name.
  2. A surname.

Translations

Every language

noun point of the sky

Españolnadir
日本語天底 tentei
中文天底 tiāndǐ
हिन्दीनाजिर nājir
Portuguêsnadir
Françaisnadir
DeutschNadir
Italianonadir
Ελληνικάναδίρ nadír
Românănadir
Русскийнади́р nadír
العربيةنَظِير naẓīr

noun figuratively the lowest point

日本語どん底 donzoko
中文低谷 dīgǔ
हिन्दीनाजिर nājir
Portuguêsnadir
Françaisfond
Ελληνικάναδίρ nadír
Русскийни́зший у́ровень nízšij úrovenʹ
العربيةنَظِير naẓīr

noun axis of projected conical shadow

हिन्दीनाजिर nājir
العربيةنَظِير naẓīr

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Cite this
MLA

"nadir." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/nadir. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

nadir. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/nadir

Chicago

"nadir." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/nadir.

BibTeX
@misc{nadir_2026,
  title = {nadir},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/nadir},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}