apogean
|a-po-ge-an|
🇺🇸
/əˈpoʊdʒiən/
🇬🇧
/əˈpɒdʒiən/
farthest point in orbit / farthest from the central body
Etymology
'apogean' originates from Ancient Greek via Late Latin and French: from Greek 'apogaion', where 'apo-' meant 'away, off' and 'ge' meant 'earth'.
'apogean' developed from Greek 'apogaion' → Late Latin 'apogaeum' → French 'apogée' → English 'apogee', with the adjective 'apogean' formed in English to mean 'relating to apogee'.
Initially referring literally to being 'away from the Earth' in the Greek sense; over time it came to denote specifically the orbital point farthest from the Earth ('apogee') and adjectives describing that condition.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to, at, or near apogee — the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited (often Earth).
The satellite reached its apogean position and transmitted from the greatest distance in its orbit.
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Adjective 2
describing tides or tidal effects that occur when the Moon (or another body) is at or near apogee; often associated with slightly lower-than-normal high tides (apogean tide).
Because the storm coincided with an apogean tide, the high water level was lower than expected.
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Last updated: 2025/09/19 22:48