sol|stice

sol|stice
sol|stice «SOL stihs», noun.
1. either of the two times in the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator. In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice, about June 21, is the longest day of the year, and the winter solstice, about December 21 or 22, is the shortest. In the Southern Hemisphere the solstices are reversed.
2. either of the two points reached by the sun at these times.
3. Figurative. a turning or culminating point; furthest limit; crisis.
[< Old French solstice, learned borrowing from Latin sōlstitium < sōl, sōlis sun + sistere stand still, related to stāre to stand]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sol·stice — …   Useful english dictionary

  • stice — ar·mi·stice; in·ter·stice; sol·stice; …   English syllables

  • sol — ab·sol·vi·tor; ace·to·sol·u·ble; aero·sol; aero·sol·i·za·tion; aero·sol·ize; al·co·sol; chry·sol·i·na; chry·sol·o·phus; con·sol; con·sol·a·ble; con·sol·i·da·tion·ist; con·sol·ing·ly; cor·ti·sol; cre·o·sol; cre·sol; dis·sol·u·bil·i·ty;… …   English syllables

  • solstice — sol·stice …   English syllables

  • solstice — sol|stice [ˈsɔlstıs US ˈsa:l ] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: Latin solstitium, from sol sun + status, past participle of sistere to come to a stop ] the time when the sun is furthest north or south of the ↑equator the summer/winter… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • solstice — sol•stice [[t]ˈsɒl stɪs, ˈsoʊl [/t]] n. 1) astron. a) either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator: about June 21, when the sun reaches its northernmost point on the celestial sphere, or about …   From formal English to slang

  • solstice — sol|stice [ salstıs ] noun count SUMMER SOLSTICE a. WINTER SOLSTICE …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Solstice — Sol stice, n.[L. solstitium; sol the sun + sistere to cause to stand, akin to stare to stand: cf. F. solstice. See {Solar}, a., {Stand}, v. i.] 1. A stopping or standing still of the sun. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] 2. (Astron.) (a) The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ASTROLOGIE — L’astrologie a traversé les siècles en assumant les rôles les plus divers, et il n’est pas toujours aisé de la reconnaître sous ses multiples apparences et ses statuts les plus contrastés. On lit un texte la concernant en fonction d’une certaine… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • summer solstice — sum′mer sol′stice n. astron. the solstice on or about June 21 that marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere • Etymology: 1540–50 …   From formal English to slang

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