English Explanatory Dictionary

periapsis

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The point of a body's (elliptical) orbit in a 2-body gravitational system such that the distance between the two bodies (measured from their respective centres of mass) is at its minimum.
  2. The minimum distance between the two bodies in such a system.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-periapsis.wav

Word forms

periapsis periapsides periapsises periapses

Etymology

From peri- + apsis.

Synonyms

pericenter periapse

Antonyms

apoapsis

Related words

periareion periastron peribothron pericenter pericentre pericynthion perigalacticon perigee perihelion perihermion perijove perikrone perikron perilune perimelasma perinigricon periposeidon perisaturnium periselene

Derived words

argument of periapsis longitude of periapsis
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