equinox
noun
ˈe-
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Equinox and the Seasons
Equinox descends from aequus, the Latin word for "equal" or "even," and nox, the Latin word for "night"—a fitting history for a word that describes days of the year when the daytime and nighttime are equal in length. In the northern hemisphere, the vernal equinox marks the first day of spring and occurs when the sun moves north across the equator. (Vernal comes from the Latin word ver, meaning "spring.") The autumnal equinox marks the first day of autumn in the northern hemisphere and occurs when the sun crosses the equator going south. In contrast, a solstice is either of the two moments in the year when the sun's apparent path is farthest north or south from the equator.
Examples of equinox in a Sentence
Anna Halkidis, Parents, 1 Apr. 2025
Earth’s magnetic field is at its weakest in the weeks after the equinox.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Dairy Queen's annual Free Cone Day is Thursday, the same day as the spring equinox, and Dairy Queens across the country are practicing that iconic curly-Q for the big day.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Spring officially begins today (March 20) with the vernal equinox, bringing longer days and warmer temperatures to the Northern Hemisphere.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for equinox
Cite this Entry
“Equinox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equinox. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
equinox
noun
ˈek-wə-
Latin equinoxium (same meaning), derived from earlier Latin aequi- "equal" and noct-, nox "night" — related to nocturnal
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