nadirs
|na-dir|
🇺🇸
/ˈneɪdɪər/
🇬🇧
/ˈneɪdɪə/
(nadir)
lowest point
Etymology
'nadir' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'naẓīr', where the root 'n-ẓ-r' meant 'to look' or implied 'opposite'.
'nadir' passed from Arabic into Medieval Latin and Romance languages (via forms such as Medieval Latin 'nadir'), and eventually entered modern English as 'nadir'.
Initially, it meant 'the point opposite the zenith' (a literal astronomical meaning), but over time it evolved into the figurative sense of 'the lowest point' or 'uttermost adversity'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
literal: the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath an observer; the opposite of the zenith.
Several observation stations calculated their nadirs before aligning the instruments.
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Noun 2
figurative: the lowest point in the fortunes, condition, or development of something; a time of greatest adversity or despair.
After several scandals, the company's reputation hit nadirs that took years to recover from.
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Last updated: 2025/12/06 21:38