perihelionic
|per-i-hel-i-on-ic|
/ˌpɛrɪhɪˈliːənɪk/
relating to the closest point to the Sun
Etymology
'perihelionic' originates from New Latin 'perihelion' + adjectival suffix '-ic', ultimately from Greek elements 'peri-' and 'helios', where 'peri-' meant 'around/near' and 'helios' meant 'sun'.
'perihelionic' developed from New Latin 'perihelion' (used in astronomical Latin to name the nearest point to the Sun) with the addition of the English adjectival suffix '-ic', yielding the modern English adjective 'perihelionic'.
Initially formed to mean 'of or relating to the perihelion (the Sun‑closest point of an orbit)', it has retained this specialized astronomical meaning in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or occurring at perihelion, the point in an orbit closest to the Sun.
The comet's perihelionic passage produced a spectacular tail.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/04 10:58