Word of the day · 13 September 2026
zenith
/ˈzɛnɪθ/
noun
The highest point in the sky above an observer; by extension, a peak of power, success or intensity.
In a sentence
- At noon the sun stood near its zenith and the plaza offered no shade.
- The band’s tour marked the zenith of their early fame.
- She left the job at its zenith rather than wait for the slow fade.
In an image
Origin
From Arabic samt (path, direction), via Medieval Latin and Old French forms that English reshaped into zenith.
History
Astronomers used zenith for the point directly overhead, opposite the nadir underfoot. Writers borrowed it for careers, empires and emotions at their height. Saying something is “at its zenith” still implies a peak that may not last, which is why the word feels sharper than “best.”
Nearby words
peak · apex · nadir
From astronomy into everyday speech: the top of the arc, before anything declines.