equinox

Meaning

Noun

• The intersection of the apparent path of the sun in the sky (the ecliptic) with the celestial equator.
• One of the two days on which this intersection occurs each year: (for the Northern hemisphere) March 20 or 21 in the spring and September 22 or 23 in the autumn.
• An equinoctial gale.

Related

Similar words

• evennight

Narrower meaning words

• autumn equinox
• autumnal equinox
• March equinox
• northward equinox
• September equinox
• spring equinox
• southward equinox
• vernal equinox

Origin

• From Middle English equinox, equynox, from Old French equinoce (French équinoxe), from Medieval Latin equinoxium, from Latin aequinoctium, from aequus + nox. Replaced Old English efenniht (Modern English evennight).