equator

[ih-kwey-ter]

noun

1. the great circle on a sphere or heavenly body whose plane is perpendicular to the axis, equidistant everywhere from the two poles of the sphere or heavenly body.

2. the great circle of the earth that is equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole.

3. a circle separating a surface into two congruent parts.

4. celestial equator.

equator

/ ɪˈkweɪtə /

noun

1. the great circle of the earth with a latitude of 0°, lying equidistant from the poles; dividing the N and S hemispheres

2. a circle dividing a sphere or other surface into two equal symmetrical parts

3. See magnetic equator

4. astronomy See celestial equator

equator

1. An imaginary line forming a great circle around the Earth's surface, equidistant from the poles and in a plane perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation. It divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres and is the basis from which latitude is measured.

2. A similar circle on the surface of any celestial body.

3. The celestial equator.

equator

1. An imaginary circle around the Earth, equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole.

Word History and Origins

Origin of equator¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin aequātor, Latin: equalizer (of day and night, as when the sun crosses the equator). See equate, -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of equator¹

C14: from Medieval Latin ( circulus ) aequātor ( diei et noctis ) (circle) that equalizes (the day and night), from Latin aequāre to make _equal

Example Sentences

Those changes will be harshest in tropical regions of Southeast Asia, South America and Africa that are close to the equator, the study says.

From Los Angeles Times

Cacao beans, the raw unprocessed ingredient used to make chocolate, can only grow in tropical regions that are 20 degrees north and south of the equator.

From Los Angeles Times

Its territory, which sits astride the equator, encompasses some of the most biodiverse tracts of the Congo Basin rainforest.

From BBC

For countries on the equator, where daylight hours stay roughly the same throughout the year, daylight saving offers no real benefit.

From BBC

There’s a simple reason, he says: He’s making chocolate in Los Angeles rather than near the equator.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ring 
• sphere