summit

The word “summit” means the highest point of a mountain or hill. In plain terms, the very top — of a mountain, or of political power, as in a high-level meeting.

“Summit” is pronounced SUH-miht (/ˈsʌmət/ in IPA).

Here is “summit” used in a sentence: “They reached the summit just before sunrise.”

Words with a similar meaning to “summit” include apex, apogee, crest, crown, culmen and fastigium.

The opposite of “summit” — its antonyms — are base, foundation, nadir and trough.

Depending on how it is used, “summit” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “summit” comes from Latin. From Old French somet/sommet, a diminutive of som ("highest point"), ultimately from Latin summus ("highest").

“Summit” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Both refer to the top of a mountain, but 'summit' specifically names the single highest point you reach. 'Peak' can describe the pointed top of a mountain or the whole mountain seen as a pointed mass, so a mountain may have several peaks but one summit.

A summit meeting borrows the image of the highest point: it is a gathering of the top leaders of different countries or organisations to discuss major issues. The word conveys that the most senior people, at the 'top' of their governments, are the ones meeting.

In the mountain sense you often see 'reach the summit', 'summit push', and 'summit ridge'. In the political sense, common pairings include 'summit meeting', 'peace summit', 'climate summit', and 'hold a summit'.

They both suggest a highest point, but a summit is a literal or figurative top, especially of a mountain or a hierarchy. A 'climax' is the most intense or decisive moment in a sequence of events, so a story reaches a climax while a climber reaches a summit.