perigeal
|per-i-ge-al|
/pəˈrɪdʒiəl/
nearest point to the Earth (in orbit)
Etymology
'perigeal' originates from Modern English, formed from the noun 'perigee' plus the adjectival suffix '-al'; 'perigee' ultimately comes from Greek elements 'peri-' meaning 'around' and 'gē' meaning 'earth'.
'perigee' entered scientific and literary English via Latin/Medieval Latin (e.g. Medieval Latin 'perigeum') and Old French adaptations, derived from Greek 'perigeion'; the adjective 'perigeal' was later formed in English by adding '-al' to 'perigee'.
Initially it denoted the state or point 'nearest the Earth' in orbital contexts; over time the term has remained focused on that sense and has also been applied to related phenomena (e.g., perigeal tides).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or occurring at perigee (the point in an orbit nearest the Earth); describing an orbital position or effect when the orbiting body is closest to Earth.
The moon reached a perigeal position, producing higher-than-normal tides along the coast.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/11 06:41