Dictionary

apex

see also: APEX

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin apex.

Pronunciation

Noun

apex

The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.
the apex of the building
Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex
1. (geometry) The highest point in a plane or solid figure, relative to a base line or plane.
2. (chiefly, anatomy) The pointed fine end of something.
  Synonyms: end, tip
  1. The lowest part of the human heart.
  2. The deepest part of a tooth's root.
3. (botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ opposed to the end where it is attached to its support.
  Synonyms: tip
4. (botany) The growing point of a shoot.
5. (astronomy) The point on the celestial sphere toward which the Sun appears to move relative to nearby stars.
  Hyponym: solar apex
6. (physics) The lowest point on a pendant drop of a liquid.
7. (mining, US) The end or edge of a vein nearest the surface.
8. (typography):
  1. A diacritic in Classical Latin that resembles and gave rise to the acute.
  2. A diacritic in Middle Vietnamese that indicates /ŋ͡m/.
  3. A sharp upward point formed by two strokes that meet at an acute angle, as in "W", uppercase "A", and closed-top "4", or by a tapered stroke, as in lowercase "t".
    Coordinate term: vertex
(figuratively) The moment of greatest success, expansion, etc.
Synonyms: acme, culmination, height, peak, pinnacle
the apex of civilization
(attributive, ecology) The top of the food chain.
A conical priest cap.