meridian
gb/mɚˈɪdiən/ us/mɚˈɪdiən/
B2
English
~ 9800
délkör, meridián, virágkor, fénykor, délidő, delelő, délköri
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
1
Usage pattern:
the [adjective] meridian of [place]
All modern time zones are measured from the Prime Meridian at Greenwich.
Minden mai időzónát a greenwichi kezdő délkörhöz viszonyítva határoznak meg.
The city lies just east of the 100th meridian west.
A város közvetlenül a nyugati 100. délkörtől keletre fekszik.
Cartographers draw meridians and parallels to create accurate world maps.
At local noon the sun is directly above your local meridian.
Learner examples
The Prime Meridian goes through Greenwich in London.
A kezdő délkör Londonban, Greenwichen halad át.
Lines that go from pole to pole are called meridians.
Azokat a vonalakat, amelyek pólustól pólusig futnak, délköröknek nevezik.
Each meridian helps show the longitude of a place.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "meridian" with "median." A "meridian" is a line of longitude on the Earth, while a "median" is the middle value in a set of numbers or the strip between lanes on a road.
Meaning
imaginary line of longitude
Collocations
prime meridian
|Greenwich meridian
|meridian of longitude
|local meridian
|meridian line
Synonyms
line of longitude (More explicit technical phrase; usually used in explanations or teaching rather than in names like "Prime Meridian".)
Antonyms
parallel (A line of latitude that runs east–west, contrasting with a meridian, which runs north–south.)
Themes
science
|geography
|astronomy
|space
Definition
An imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole that goes through a place on Earth and shows how far east or west that place is.
An imaginary great circle on the Earth that passes through the North and South Poles and a particular location, used to measure longitude.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
meridián
C1
Usage pattern:
the [adjective] meridian of [organ]
The therapist used acupuncture needles along the lung meridian to ease her cough.
A terapeuta akupunktúrás tűket alkalmazott a tüdőmeridián mentén, hogy enyhítse a köhögését.
In traditional Chinese medicine, blocked meridians are thought to cause illness.
A hagyományos kínai orvoslás szerint a meridiánok elzáródása betegséget okozhat.
The book includes charts of all twelve main meridians in the body.
Learner examples
In acupuncture, needles are put into points on the meridians.
Az akupunktúrában a tűket a meridiánok pontjaiba szúrják.
Some people believe that energy moves through meridians in the body.
Egyesek úgy vélik, hogy az energia a test meridiánjain keresztül áramlik.
The healer said there was a block in my stomach meridian.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is used in general Western medicine. It is specific to traditional Chinese medicine and similar alternative health systems, not to standard anatomy or physiology.
Meaning
energy channel in the body
Collocations
acupuncture meridian
|energy meridian
|meridian system
|stimulate the meridians
|blockage in a meridian
Synonyms
energy channel (Common in alternative medicine contexts and often used instead of the more technical term "meridian.")
Themes
medicine
|health
|culture
|body
Definition
In traditional Chinese medicine, a line inside the body where energy is said to move.
In traditional Chinese medicine, one of a network of invisible pathways in the body through which life energy (qi) is believed to flow.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
3
Usage pattern:
in the meridian of [something]
The novelist was in the meridian of his powers when he wrote that masterpiece.
A regényíró alkotóereje teljében volt, amikor megírta azt a remekművet.
At forty, she felt she had reached the meridian of her career.
Negyvenévesen úgy érezte, elérte pályája csúcsát.
The empire, long past its meridian, began to crumble at the edges.
Learner examples
The king ruled in the meridian of his power.
A király hatalma tetőpontján uralkodott.
She became famous in the meridian of her career.
Pályája virágkorában vált híressé.
The city was rich in the meridian of its history.
Common mistake:
Learners may assume this sense is common in modern everyday English. In fact, it is mainly used in literary or formal writing; in conversation, words like "peak" or "prime" are preferred.
Meaning
highest point or greatest stage
Collocations
the meridian of his powers
|the meridian of her career
|in the meridian of life
Synonyms
peak (More common and neutral; "meridian" sounds formal or literary.)
Antonyms
nadir (Means the lowest point, especially in someone’s life or career, the opposite of a highest point or meridian.)
Themes
literature
|life
|success
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The best or strongest time in a person’s life, power, or success.
The highest or most developed stage of something, especially a person’s life, power, or success.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
4
Usage pattern:
at meridian
By the time the sun had reached its meridian, the fields were shimmering with heat.
Mire a nap delelőre ért, a földek a hőségtől remegtek.
We rested in the shade at meridian before continuing our journey.
Délidőben megpihentünk az árnyékban, mielőtt folytattuk az utunkat.
The bell would ring at meridian to call the workers to their meal.
Learner examples
The sun is high in the sky at meridian.
Délidőben magasan áll az égen a nap.
They stopped for food at meridian.
Délidőben megálltak enni.
Old books sometimes use the word "meridian" to mean noon.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use "meridian" to mean noon in modern speech. This sounds archaic or literary; use "noon" or "midday" in contemporary English.
Meaning
noon; time of midday
Collocations
at meridian
|toward the meridian of day
|the sun at meridian
Synonyms
noon (The normal, modern word; "meridian" in this sense is old-fashioned or literary.)
Antonyms
midnight (The opposite time of day from noon or meridian.)
Themes
time
|literature
|history
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Noon; the middle of the day when the sun is highest.
Noon; the time of day when the sun is highest in the sky.
C2
TECHNICAL
5
délköri
C1
Usage pattern:
meridian [noun]
Astronomers measured the star’s meridian altitude with the telescope.
A csillagászok távcsővel mérték meg a csillag délköri magasságát.
The old church has a brass strip on the floor marking the meridian line for local noon.
A régi templom padlóján egy rézcsík jelöli a helyi delet mutató délköri vonalat.
The town’s meridian plane was carefully surveyed in the nineteenth century.
Learner examples
They marked the meridian line on the floor of the old building.
A délköri vonalat kijelölték a régi épület padlóján.
The star reached its highest point at its meridian passage.
A csillag délköri áthaladásakor érte el a legmagasabb pontját.
This clock was used to show the exact meridian time.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "meridian" can be an adjective in technical writing and may expect only the noun form. In everyday English, this adjective is very rare; more basic phrases like "noon" or "midday" are preferred.
Meaning
relating to meridians or noon
Collocations
meridian altitude
|meridian circle
|meridian plane
|meridian transit
Synonyms
midday (Can be used before a noun (e.g. "midday sun") for the time sense; more common and general than technical "meridian.")
Antonyms
midnight (Used before a noun (e.g. "midnight sky"), contrasting with things that happen at or near noon (meridian).)
Themes
science
|geography
|astronomy
|space
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
About a meridian (a line of longitude) or about noon.
Relating to a geographical meridian or to noon; lying on, measured from, or occurring at a meridian.
Grammar
Dictionary form
meridian
IPA
GB/mɚˈɪdiən/
US/mɚˈɪdiən/
Syllables & stress
me - ridi - an (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (me)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: meridian
- Plural: meridians
Word family
Forms
meridians
noun
Advanced or less common
meridional
adjective
antimeridian
noun
Expressions
Greenwich Meridian
1/ɡɹˈinwˌɪt͡ʃ mɚˈɪdiən/
fixed phrase
technical
meridian through Greenwich Observatory
The meridian that goes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, used as the main world reference line for longitude.
Examples
- Before the Greenwich Meridian was adopted, different countries used different prime meridians.
- The Greenwich Meridian divides Earth into eastern and western hemispheres.
- Ships once set their clocks using observations made at the Greenwich Meridian.
in the meridian of
1/ˈɪn ðə mɚˈɪdiən əv/
idiom
literary
at the height of life or power
At the best or strongest time in a person’s life, power, or career.
Examples
- He wrote those bold essays in the meridian of his youth.
- The kingdom, in the meridian of its power, controlled trade across the sea.
- She met him in the meridian of his fame, when everyone knew his name.
meridian line
1/mɚˈɪdiən lˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
technical
marked line showing local meridian
A line drawn or built in a place (for example on a floor or wall) that shows the direction of the local meridian and helps show when it is exactly noon there.
Examples
- A brass meridian line runs across the floor of the old observatory.
- At local noon, the sun’s image falls exactly on the meridian line.
- The museum guide explained how the meridian line was used to set clocks.
the Prime Meridian
1/ðə pɹˈaɪm mɚˈɪdiən/
fixed phrase
Earth’s zero-longitude meridian
The special meridian at 0° longitude that goes through Greenwich in London and is used to measure all other longitudes.
Examples
- Coordinated Universal Time is based on the time at the Prime Meridian.
- Tourists in London often visit the line of the Prime Meridian at Greenwich.
- Maps usually show the Prime Meridian as the starting line for measuring east and west.