antapex
|an-ta-pex|
/ˈæn.təˌpɛks/
point opposite the apex
Etymology
'antapex' originates from a combination of Greek and Latin: the Greek prefix 'anti-' (from 'anti', meaning 'opposite' or 'against') combined with the Latin word 'apex' (meaning 'summit' or 'tip').
'antapex' was formed in modern scientific/astronomical usage by combining 'anti-' and 'apex' and entered English through technical Latin and 19th-century astronomical literature.
Initially it meant 'the point opposite the summit/tip', and in astronomical use it has retained that specific sense of 'the point opposite the motion's apex'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in astronomy, the point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite the apex (the direction of motion) of a body such as the Sun or a star; the direction from which the body appears to be moving away.
Astronomers noted that several nearby stars lie close to the Sun's antapex.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/20 18:51