Illustration of nadir
- 1 nadir
- 2 observer
- 3 zenith
1
: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer
2
: the lowest point
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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 to the English lexicon especially in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry. The source of nadir is naḍhīr, meaning "opposite"—the opposite, that is, of the zenith, the highest point of the celestial sphere which is positioned vertically above the observer. (The word zenith itself is a modification of another Arabic word that means "the way over one's head.") According to our sources, usage of nadir reached an apex in the 1980s. But worry not for the word’s future: it’s still flying high.
Examples of nadir in a Sentence
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
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
This creates a value nadir in which prices tend to be low and likely to go up once the vintage status kicks in at around 40 years.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2024
The Bitcoin retreat at its nadir Monday left the token at levels last seen in February.
—Suvashree Ghosh, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2024
Sinéad O'Connor tearing up a photo of the Pope on SNL was both the peak and nadir of her career
O'Connor was found unresponsive on July 26 last year in her home in London, and was later pronounced dead.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 27 July 2024
North America’s regional trade has recovered, albeit slightly, from a 2009 nadir of just 39 cents of every dollar thanks to expanding textile, machinery, and produce supply chains.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
See all Example Sentences for nadir 
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2024
The Bitcoin retreat at its nadir Monday left the token at levels last seen in February.
—Suvashree Ghosh, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2024
Sinéad O'Connor tearing up a photo of the Pope on SNL was both the peak and nadir of her career
O'Connor was found unresponsive on July 26 last year in her home in London, and was later pronounced dead.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 27 July 2024
North America’s regional trade has recovered, albeit slightly, from a 2009 nadir of just 39 cents of every dollar thanks to expanding textile, machinery, and produce supply chains.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022
See all Example Sentences for nadir
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nadir.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Nadir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nadir. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nadir
noun
na·dir
ˈnā-ˌdi(ə)r 
ˈnād-ər
1
: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and directly under the observer
2
: the lowest point
our hopes reached their nadir
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