|
| equator [ i kwáytər ] (plural equators) |
noun |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. geography imaginary circle around Earth: the imaginary great circle around Earth that is the same distance from the North and South Poles and divides Earth into the northern and southern hemispheres
|
2. astronomy imaginary circle around astronomical object: the imaginary great circle around an astronomical object that is everywhere the same distance from the Poles
|
3. astronomy
Same as celestial equator
|
4. mathematics circle dividing sphere into two: a circle that divides a sphere or other surface into two equal parts
|
| [14th century. Directly or via French< medieval Latin aequator, in aequator diei et noctis 'equalizer of day and night' < Latin aequare (see equate)] |
