• IPA: /məˈɹɪdi.ən/

meridian (plural meridians)

1. (geography) An imaginary great circle on the Earth's surface, passing through the geographic poles.
2. Either half of such a great circle, all points of which have the same longitude.
3. (astronomy) A great circle passing through the poles of the celestial sphere and the zenith for a particular observer.
4. (mathematics) A similar line on any general surface of revolution.
5. (alternative medicine, traditional Chinese medicine) Any of the pathways on the body along which the vital energy is thought to flow and, therefore, the acupoints are distributed.
6. The highest point, as of success, prosperity, etc.; culmination.
   • 1613, William Shakespeare; [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, / And from that full meridian of my glory / I haste now to my setting.

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, “Of Youth and Age. XLII.”, in The Essayes or Covncils, Civill and Moral, […] Newly Written, London: Printed by Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, OCLC 863521290 ↗; newly enlarged edition, London: Printed by Iohn Haviland, […], 1632, OCLC 863527675 ↗, pages 247–248 ↗:

     Natures that haue much Heat, and great and violent deſires and Perturbations, are not ripe for Action, till they haue paſſed the Meridian of their yeares: As it was with Iulius Cæſar, and Septimius Seuerus.

7. (printing, US, dated) The size of type between double great primer and canon, standardized as 44-point.
8. Midday.
9. (dated) A dram drunk at midday.

• (midday) noon, noontide; see also Thesaurus:midday

• French: méridien
• German: Meridian
• Italian: meridiano
• Portuguese: meridiano
• Russian: меридиа́н
• Spanish: meridiano

• Portuguese: meridiano
• Russian: меридиа́н

• French: trimégiste
• German: Sabon

meridian (not comparable)

1. Meridional; relating to a meridian.
2. Relating to noon
3. Relating to the highest point or culmination.

   meridian splendour

1. A ghost town in Humboldt County, California.
2. An unincorporated community in Kern County, California.
3. A neighborhood in San Jose, Santa Clara County.
4. CDP in Sutter County, California.
5. An unincorporated community/and/census-designated place in Douglas County, Colorado.
6. An unincorporated community in Leon County, Florida.
7. An unincorporated community in McIntosh County, Georgia.
8. A sizable city in Ada County, Idaho.
9. A city/county seat in Lauderdale County, Mississippi.
10. A ghost town in Jefferson County, Nebraska.
11. A village in Cayuga County, New York.
12. A town in Logan County, Oklahoma.
13. A census-designated place in Stephens County, Oklahoma.
14. CDP in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
15. A city/county seat in Bosque County, Texas.
16. A neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, also known as Tangletown, Seattle.