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
Jamie Carter, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Driving the news: The fall equinox was yesterday, marking the first day of the fall season.
—Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 23 Sep. 2024
There is also a spring equinox which signifies a similar transition, in contrast to the summer and winter solstices that occur.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2024
Here’s how to make the most of the equinox’s powerful energy this year.
—Vivianne Crowley, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for equinox 
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Cite this Entry
“Equinox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equinox. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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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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