Azimuth
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
- 1 An arc of the horizon intercepted between the meridian of the place and a vertical circle passing through the center of any object.
"the azimuth of a star"
- 2 the azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian wordnet
- 3 The quadrant of an azimuth circle.
"The dome, being constructed of wood, was light by comparison with the rest of the structure, and the wheels which allowed it horizontal, or, as Swithin expressed it, azimuth motion, denied it a firm hold upon the walls; so that it had been lifted off them like a cover from a pot."
Example
More examples"This time of year, with the sun setting as quick as it is, we have to adjust the azimuth angle of our roof-top instruments daily so they remain in line with the sun and continue to collect accurate data."
Etymology
From Old French *azimut (modern French azimut), from Arabic اَلسُّمُوت pl (as-sumūt, “the directions”).
Related phrases
More for "azimuth"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.