meridian

¹

[ muh-rid-ee-uhn ]

noun

1. Geography.
   1. a great circle of the earth passing through the poles and any given point on the earth's surface.
   2. the half of such a circle included between the poles.
2. Astronomy. the great circle of the celestial sphere that passes through its poles and the observer's zenith.
3. a point or period of highest development, greatest prosperity, or the like.
4. (in acupuncture) any of the pathways in the body along which vital energy flows.

adjective

1. of or relating to a meridian.
2. of or relating to midday or noon:

   the meridian hour.

3. of or indicating a period of greatest prosperity, splendor, success, etc.

Meridian

²

[ muh-rid-ee-uhn ]

noun

1. a city in E Mississippi.

meridian

/ məˈrɪdɪən /

noun

1. 1. one of the imaginary lines joining the north and south poles at right angles to the equator, designated by degrees of longitude from 0° at Greenwich to 180°
   2. the great circle running through both poles See prime meridian
2. astronomy
   1. the great circle on the celestial sphere passing through the north and south celestial poles and the zenith and nadir of the observer
   2. ( as modifier )

      a meridian instrument

3. Also calledmeridian section maths a section of a surface of revolution, such as a paraboloid, that contains the axis of revolution
4. the peak; zenith

   the meridian of his achievements

5. (in acupuncture, etc) any of the channels through which vital energy is believed to circulate round the body
6. obsolete.
   noon

adjective

1. along or relating to a meridian
2. of or happening at noon
3. relating to the peak of something

meridian

1. A great imaginary circle on the surface of the Earth that runs north and south through the North Pole and South Pole . Longitude is measured on meridians: places on a meridian have the same longitude . ( See prime meridian .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of meridian¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin merīdiānus of noon, equivalent to merīdi ( ēs ) midday (formed from the locative merīdiē at midday, by dissimilation < *medī diē; medius mid ¹, diēs day) + -ānus -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of meridian¹

C14: from Latin merīdiānus of midday, from merīdiēs midday, from medius mid ¹+ diēs day

Example Sentences

“A central credo in TCM is that blockages in meridians lead to imbalances in health, including illness or pain,” Ko said.

From Los Angeles Times

Since early September, they had logged nearly 12,000 miles aboard the Offshore Surveyor, crisscrossing the equator near the 180th meridian.

From Los Angeles Times

Similar to acupuncture, EFT tapping is thought to work by targeting various “meridian points” in the body.

From Salon

He disappeared behind the weeds covering the steep embankment of the meridian.

From Seattle Times

The movements help with blood circulation and the body’s meridians — which in Chinese medicine refer to the pathways that energy, or qi, flows through.

From Los Angeles Times