Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Apex
A′pex
,Noun.
pl. E.
Apexes
; L. Apices
. [L.]
1.
The tip, top, point, or angular summit of anything;
as, the
apex
of a mountain, spire, or cone; the apex
, or tip, of a leaf.2.
(Mining)
The end or edge of a vein nearest the surface.
[U.S.]
Apex of the earth’s motion
(Astron.)
, that point of the heavens toward which the earth is moving in its orbit.
Webster 1828 Edition
Apex
A'PEX
,Noun.
plu.
plu.
The tip, point of summit of any thing. In antiquity, the cap of a flamen or priest; the crest of a helmet. In grammar, the mark of a long syllable. In botany, the anther of flowers, or tops of the stamens, like knobs.
Definition 2024
Apex
apex
apex
English
Noun
apex (plural apices or apexes)
- The highest point of something.
- the apex of the building
- (figuratively) The moment of greatest success, expansion, etc.
- the apex of civilization
- 2002, Jeffrey Rowland, WIGU adventures
- It would be an intense disgust. The absolute apex of teen angst.
- (geometry) The topmost vertex of a cone or pyramid (in their conventional orientation).
- (chiefly anatomy) The pointed end of something.
- (botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ opposed to the end where it is attached to its support; the tip.
- (astronomy) The point on the celestial sphere toward which the sun appears to move relative to nearby stars.
- (physics) The lowest point on a pendant drop of a liquid.
- (mining, US) The end or edge of a vein nearest the surface.
- (typography) A diacritic in Classical Latin that resembles and gave rise to the acute.
- (typography) A diacritic in Middle Vietnamese that indicates /ŋ͡m/.
Synonyms
- (highest point): peak, top, summit
- (moment of greatest success, expansion, etc): acme, culmination, height, peak, pinnacle
- (pointed end): end, tip
- See also Wikisaurus:apex
Translations
highest point
|
moment of greatest success, expansion, etc
in geometry: topmost vertex of a cone or pyramid
pointed end
botany: end of leaf
Latin
Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- (“to join, fit”). Cognate with Latin apō.
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈa.peks/
Noun
apex m (genitive apicis); third declension
- summit
- top
- cap of a priest (flamen); hat, helmet, crown
- apex, macron (long mark over a vowel)
- vocative singular of apex
Inflection
Third declension.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | apex | apicēs |
| genitive | apicis | apicum |
| dative | apicī | apicibus |
| accusative | apicem | apicēs |
| ablative | apice | apicibus |
| vocative | apex | apicēs |
Descendants
References
- apex in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- apex in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- APEX in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
- Félix Gaffiot (1934), “apex”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
- apex in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
- apex in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin