perihelia
|pe-ri-hel-i-a|
/ˌpɛrɪˈhiːliə/
(perihelion)
nearest point to the Sun
Etymology
'perihelion' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'perihelion', where the Greek prefix 'peri-' meant 'around' and 'hēlios' (ἥλιος) meant 'sun'.
'perihelion' developed from Greek elements 'peri-' + 'hēlios', was Latinized in New Latin as 'perihelion', and entered modern English as the scientific term 'perihelion' with the plural 'perihelia'.
Initially it had the literal sense 'around the sun' from its Greek roots; over time it came to denote the specific orbital point nearest the Sun ('perihelion') and thus its plural 'perihelia' refers to such points.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'perihelion' — the points in the orbits of celestial bodies at which they are nearest to the Sun.
Astronomers noted the comet's perihelia over several orbits to study how its path changed.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/04 10:14