Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Astronomy The point in an orbit around the planet Earth where the orbiting body is farthest from the planet.
  • noun The analogous point in an orbit around a celestial body other than Earth. Not in technical use.
  • noun The farthest or highest point; the apex.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun That point in the orbit of a planet or other heavenly body which is at the greatest distance from the earth; especially, that particular point of the moon's orbit.
  • noun Figuratively, the highest or most distant point; climax; culmination.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Astron.) That point in the orbit of the moon which is at the greatest distance from the earth.
  • noun Fig.: The farthest or highest point; culmination.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun astronomy The point, in an orbit about the Earth, that is furthest from the Earth: the apoapsis of an Earth orbiter.
  • noun astronomy, more generally The point, in an orbit about any planet, that is farthest from the planet: the apoapsis of any satellite.
  • noun The point, in any trajectory of an object in space, where it is furthest from the Earth.
  • noun figuratively The highest point.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a final climactic stage
  • noun apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French apogée, from New Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion, from neuter of apogaios, far from the earth : apo-, apo- + gaia, earth.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Via Latin apogeum, apogaeum and French apogée, from Ancient Greek ἀπόγειον (apogeion, "away from Earth"), from ἀπό (apo, "away") + γῆ (gē, "Earth").

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Examples

  • The apogee was the application by AXE ECN for a license to open a new exchange.

    Australia's Not-So-Foreign Exchange Joseph Sternberg 2011

  • Now, the earth occupies one of the foci of the ellipse, and so at one point in its course is at its apogee, that is, at its farthest from the sun, and at another point it is at its perigee, or nearest to the sun.

    The Mysterious Island 2005

  • Now, the earth occupies one of the foci of the ellipse, and so at one point in its course is at its apogee, that is, at its farthest from the sun, and at another point it is at its perigee, or nearest to the sun.

    The Mysterious Island 2005

  • In this wise, at the beginning of that thirteenth century which Catholic apologists call the apogee of civilization, did Western Christendom destroy its Eastern flank.

    There Will Be Time Anderson, Poul, 1926-2001 1972

  • In this wise, at the beginning of that thirteenth century which Catholic apologists call the apogee of civilization, did Western Christendom destroy its Eastern flank.

    Two in Time Anderson, Poul 1970

  • When it's at perigee, the moon is about 31,000 miles 50,000 km closer to Earth than when it's at the farthest point of its orbit, also known as apogee.

    chicagotribune.com - News 2011

  • The apogee was the victorious entry into Baghdad, and the TV pictures of crowds cheering the felling of a statue of Saddam Hussein.

    The Guardian World News John Pilger 2010

  • + [The Abacus as well as a Polyhedrons] + 'apogee' {[]} 'perigee'

    united states of america constitutional signaturee gate admin 2009

  • + [The Abacus as well as a Polyhedrons] + 'apogee' {[]} 'perigee'

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • In the language of astronomy, the two extremes are called "apogee" (far away) and "perigee" (nearby).

    I'll Be Looking At The Moon...A BIG ONE TOMORROW Jan 2008

Comments

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  • apogee etymolgy: (far) from earth. cool!

    March 26, 2007

  • See also perigee.

    October 14, 2008