See Also: perigee(dictionary)

perigee (iou)



perigee noun. Formerly also in Latin & Greek forms. L16.
[French perigee from mod. Latin perig(a)eum from late Greek perigeion use as noun (sc. diastema distance) of neut. of perigeios close round the earth, formed as PERI- + gaia, ge earth.]
(Opp. APOGEE.)
Astronomy. The point nearest to the earth in the path of a body orbiting the earth. (Orig. also used with ref. to the sun and planets, viewed geocentrically). L16.
The point in the sky at which the sun has the lowest altitude at noon (i.e. at the winter solstice). Only in M17.
fig. A lowest point, a nadir. rare. M17.
peri'gean adjective of or pertaining to perigee E19.