Equinox
/ˈɛ.kwɪ.nɒks/noun
The time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in equal day and night.
Did you know?In ancient cultures, equinoxes were considered powerful times for rituals and offerings to ensure balance and fertility in the coming seasons.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ekʷl̥o-
“to be equal, level, or uniform”
Latin
Latin
aequinoctium
“equal night, derived from 'aequus' (equal) and 'nox' (night)”
Old French
Old French
equinoxe
“the term adopted from Latin, retaining the meaning of equal night”
Middle English
Middle English
equinox
“borrowed from Old French, marking the time of year when day and night are of equal length”
Modern English
English
equinox
“the astronomical event signifying equal day and night, now tied to seasonal changes”