US /əˈfiːliən/ UK /əˈfiːliən/
noun Freq #235902

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    the point in the orbit of a planet, comet, or other body at which it is farthest from the Sun

    Earth reaches aphelion in early July, when it is farthest from the Sun.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · the point in the orbit of a... solar apoapsis
Opposites
Word family
Related forms perihelionapoapsisorbit

Etymology

From New Latin aphelium, built from Ancient Greek apo- ("away from") + helios ("sun"), with the ending later remodeled as -ion by analogy with other astronomical apsides. It is the solar-orbit counterpart of perihelion.

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