solstice

noun

sol·stice ˈsäl-stəs

ˈsōl-,

ˈsȯl-

: either of the two points on the ecliptic at which its distance from the celestial equator is greatest and which is reached by the sun each year about June 21 and December 21

: the time of the sun's passing a solstice which occurs about June 21 to begin summer in the northern hemisphere and about December 21 to begin winter in the northern hemisphere

Did you know?

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice usually occurs on June 20 or 21 and the winter solstice on December 21 or 22. In the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed, the solstices are exactly the opposite. For several days around the time of the solstices, the sun's appearance on the horizon at sunrise and sunset seems to occur at the same spot, before it starts drifting to the north or south again. Solstice gets its shine from sol, the Latin word for "sun." The ancients added sol to -stit- (a participial stem of sistere, which means "to stand still") and came up with solstitium. Middle English speakers shortened solstitium to solstice in the 14th century.

Examples of solstice in a Sentence

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But the timing has been important for centuries, as ancient Celts and then Christians celebrated the halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. —

Bill Chappell, NPR, 31 Jan. 2025 Since the Chinese calendar is based on the lunisolar calendar, the Lunar New Year is typically celebrated on the second new moon after the winter solstice. —

Athena Sobhan, People.com, 30 Jan. 2025 Typically, it’s observed on the second new moon following the winter solstice. —

Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 28 Jan. 2025 Other cultures refer to the January full moon as the Ice Moon, the Old Moon or the Moon after Yule, reflecting the season's chill and its place in the calendar after the winter solstice. —

John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for solstice