noun
nadir
NAY-deer
noun
1
The lowest point of something, especially a low point in someone's fortunes or a situation.
"The team's humiliating defeat marked the nadir of their season."
"His career hit its nadir when the company he founded went bankrupt."
2
In astronomy, the point in the sky directly below an observer, opposite the zenith.
"The star was at its nadir, invisible below the horizon."
How to Use Nadir
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe absolute low point of something — the opposite of a peak.
Common mistake
Nadir means the lowest point, not just "a low point" — reserve it for the worst moment, not any minor setback.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
reach its nadir
the nadir of
an all-time nadir
Word Forms
nadired past tense, nadirs plural, nadirs singular
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The team's humiliating defeat marked the _____ of their season.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin nadir, from Arabic naẓīr as-samt, meaning "counterpart of the zenith."