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单词 nadir
释义

nadir

noun

na·​dir ˈnā-ˌdir How to pronounce nadir (audio) ˈnā-dər How to pronounce nadir (audio)
1
: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer
2
: the lowest point

Illustration of nadir

Illustration of nadir
  • 1 nadir
  • 2 observer
  • 3 zenith

Did you know?

Nadir Has Arabic Roots

Nadir is part of the galaxy of scientific words that have come to us from Arabic, a language that has made important contributions in the vocabulary of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry. Nadir derives from an Arabic word meaning "opposite"—the opposite, that is, of the zenith, or the highest point of the celestial sphere, the one vertically above the observer. (The word zenith itself is a modification of another Arabic word that means "the way over one's head.") The English poet John Donne is first on record as having used nadir in the figurative sense of "lowest point" in a sermon he wrote in 1627.

Synonyms

  • bedrock
  • bottom
  • depth
  • rock bottom
  • zero
See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

Nantucket reached its nadir in the post-Civil War period. The whaling industry had become moribund, many New Englanders had been lured to California by the discovery of gold, and the island population dropped from ten thousand in 1830 to scarcely more than three thousand in 1880. David H. Wood, Antiques, August 1995 But then, at the very nadir of that dark abandoned moment, that moment of despair and sickness unto death, … T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993 My nadir was the time I presented an oral book report on "Les Misérables," having read only the Classic Comics version … Stephen Jay Gould, New York Times Book Review, 12 Oct. 1986 The relationship between the two countries reached a nadir in the 1920s. the discussion really reached its nadir when people resorted to name-calling
Recent Examples on the Web Even those that were in better shape at the end of the 1920s were feeling the effects by the Depression’s nadir in 1933. Chris Yogerst, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2022 And yet the scene is deeply sinister, representing the moral nadir of Birgitte’s time in Danish politics. Kylie Warner, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2022 The reputation of psychiatry reached its nadir by century’s end. Richard J. Mcnally, WSJ, 13 May 2022 American patriotism hit its nadir during the flag burnings in 1970s Vietnam protests. Susan Hanssen, National Review, 4 July 2022 Australia’s previous prime minister, Scott Morrison, often spoke about the Chinese government with belligerence as relations hit a decades-long nadir. New York Times, 24 May 2022 Critics characterized the album as a creative nadir, indistinct and bloodless and never-ending. Alex Swhear, Variety, 17 June 2022 May 16—May 31: With the full Moon eclipse of the 16th at the nadir of your solar chart, home and family will be in the spotlight. Katharine Merlin, Town & Country, 16 May 2022 Even at Bjelica’s nadir, Kerr didn’t lose faith in him. Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Arabic naḍhīr opposite

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

nadir

noun

1
as in depth
the lowest point or level the discussion really reached its nadir when people resorted to name-calling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
  • depth
  • zero
  • abyss
  • bottom
  • bedrock
  • pit
  • armpit
  • rock bottom

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • zenith
  • peak
  • apex
  • height
  • pinnacle
  • top
  • summit
  • head
  • acme
  • climax
  • meridian
  • culmination
  • crown
  • glory
  • heyday
  • flower
  • bloom
  • high
  • high-water mark
  • crescendo
  • tip-top
  • roof
  • ceiling
  • crest
  • cap
  • flood tide
See More
2
as in bottom
the lowest part, place, or point got into the stock market when it was at its nadir and then watched prices soar

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • bottom
  • foot
  • base
  • basement
  • bedrock
  • keystone
  • ground
  • basis
  • foundation
  • rock bottom
  • seat
  • bed
  • groundwork
  • underpinning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • top
  • head
  • vertex
  • zenith
  • peak
  • apex
  • height
  • pinnacle
  • summit
  • acme
  • climax
  • meridian
  • culmination
  • crest
  • tip
  • tip-top
See More
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更新时间:2025/1/24 10:56:08