equator
noun
equa·tor
i-ˈkwā-tər 
ˈē-ˌkwā-
1
: the great circle of the celestial sphere whose plane is perpendicular to the axis of the earth
2
: a great circle of the earth or a celestial body that is everywhere equally distant from the two poles and divides the surface into the northern and southern hemispheres
3
a
: a circle or circular band dividing the surface of a body into two usually equal and symmetrical parts
b
: equatorial plane
the equator of a dividing cell
4
Examples of equator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With time, the disintegrated asteroid pieces would have assembled into a ring shape around our planet’s equator.
—
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024
Arthropleura lived between 290 million and 346 million years ago, skittering around the Earth’s tropical equator alongside other massive arthropods like the two-foot-long scorpion Pulmonoscorpius.
—Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Some crucial scientific findings include abundant water near Jupiter’s equator, lightning in Jupiter’s clouds, and the cause of Jupiter's x-ray aurorae.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Temperatures near the Moon’s equator, for example, can spike to 250°F (121°C) in the day and then plunge at night to -208°F (-133°C), according to NASA.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for equator 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024
Arthropleura lived between 290 million and 346 million years ago, skittering around the Earth’s tropical equator alongside other massive arthropods like the two-foot-long scorpion Pulmonoscorpius.
—Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Some crucial scientific findings include abundant water near Jupiter’s equator, lightning in Jupiter’s clouds, and the cause of Jupiter's x-ray aurorae.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Temperatures near the Moon’s equator, for example, can spike to 250°F (121°C) in the day and then plunge at night to -208°F (-133°C), according to NASA.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for equator
Dictionary Entries Near equator
Cite this Entry
“Equator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equator. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
equator
noun
equa·tor
i-ˈkwāt-ər
ˈē-ˌkwāt-
: an imaginary circle around the earth everywhere equally distant from the north pole and the south pole
Medical Definition
equator
noun
equa·tor
i-ˈkwāt-ər
ˈē-ˌ
ˈē-ˌ
1
: a circle or circular band dividing the surface of a body into two usually equal and symmetrical parts especially at the place of greatest width
the equator of the lens of the eye
2
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share