azimuthal
|a-zi-mu-thal|
🇺🇸
/ˌæzɪˈmʌθəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌæzɪˈmʌθ(ə)l/
relating to direction (azimuth)
Etymology
'azimuthal' originates from English, formed from the noun 'azimuth' plus the adjectival suffix '-al'. 'Azimuth' itself originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'as-samt'/'al-samt', where 'samt' meant 'direction' or 'path'.
'azimuthal' developed in English by adding the suffix '-al' to 'azimuth' (English < Medieval Latin/Old French < Arabic 'as-samt'). The sequence: Arabic 'as-samt' → Medieval Latin/Old French forms (e.g. 'azimut') → English 'azimuth' → adjective 'azimuthal'.
Originally the Arabic root meant 'direction' or 'path'; over time it became a technical term in astronomy and navigation for a measured horizontal angle ('azimuth'), and 'azimuthal' came to mean 'relating to or measured by that angle' or 'relating to azimuthal projections'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or measured by an azimuth — an angular direction (usually measured clockwise) around the horizon from a reference direction such as north.
The telescope's mount allows adjustment in elevation and azimuthal direction to track the star.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
(Of a map projection or chart) relating to an azimuthal projection — a projection onto a plane from a point on the globe, often preserving directions from the center point.
An azimuthal projection is often used for polar maps because it represents directions from the pole accurately.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/07 08:52