the equator
noun
: an imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth that is the same distance from the North Pole and the South Pole
The city of Quito, Ecuador, lies very close to the equator.
Examples of the equator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What Happens On The Solstice On the date of the June solstice, the sun shines directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, an imaginary line around Earth at 23.5 degrees north of the equator (through Mexico, India and Egypt).
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Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Noctilucent clouds most commonly appear between 45 and 80 degrees north of the equator — a range that includes some of the most northernmost U.S. states including North Dakota, Montana and Washington.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 May 2025
These satellites are designed to fly near and inspect other objects near geosynchronous orbit, a ring around the equator more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
The poles sagged toward the equator, the magnetic field expanded, and auroras would have been visible throughout Europe and Northern Africa.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
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Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Noctilucent clouds most commonly appear between 45 and 80 degrees north of the equator — a range that includes some of the most northernmost U.S. states including North Dakota, Montana and Washington.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 May 2025
These satellites are designed to fly near and inspect other objects near geosynchronous orbit, a ring around the equator more than 22,000 miles (nearly 36,000 kilometers) above Earth.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
The poles sagged toward the equator, the magnetic field expanded, and auroras would have been visible throughout Europe and Northern Africa.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the equator
Cite this Entry
“The equator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20equator. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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