Adjacent Words

azimuth definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian [syn: azimuth, AZ]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin azimut, from Arabic al-sum?t the azimuth, plural of al-samt the way Date: 14th century 1. an arc of the horizon measured between a fixed point (as true north) and the vertical circle passing through the center of an object usually in astronomy and navigation clockwise from the north point through 360 degrees 2. horizontal direction expressed as the angular distance between the direction of a fixed point (as the observer's heading) and the direction of the object • azimuthal adjective • azimuthally adverb

U.S. Military Dictionary

Quantities may be expressed in positive quantities increasing in a clockwise direction, or in X, Y coordinates where south and west are negative. They may be referenced to true north or magnetic north depending on the particular weapon system used.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the angular distance from a north or south point of the horizon to the intersection with the horizon of a vertical circle passing through a given celestial body. 2 the horizontal angle or direction of a compass bearing. Derivatives: azimuthal adj. Etymology: ME f. OF azimut f. Arab. as-sumut f. al the + sumut pl. of samt way, direction

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Azimuth Az"i*muth, n. [OE. azimut, F. azimut, fr. Ar. as-sum?t, pl. of as-samt a way, or perh., a point of the horizon and a circle extending to it from the zenith, as being the Arabic article: cf. It. azzimutto, Pg. azimuth, and Ar. samt-al-r[=a]'s the vertex of the heaven. Cf. Zenith.] (Astron. & Geodesy) (a) The quadrant of an azimuth circle. (b) An arc of the horizon intercepted between the meridian of the place and a vertical circle passing through the center of any object; as, the azimuth of a star; the azimuth or bearing of a line surveying. Note: In trigonometrical surveying, it is customary to reckon the azimuth of a line from the south point of the horizon around by the west from 0[deg] to 360[deg]. Azimuth circle, or Vertical circle, one of the great circles of the sphere intersecting each other in the zenith and nadir, and cutting the horizon at right angles. --Hutton. Azimuth compass, a compass resembling the mariner's compass, but having the card divided into degrees instead of rhumbs, and having vertical sights; used for taking the magnetic azimuth of a heavenly body, in order to find, by comparison with the true azimuth, the variation of the needle. Azimuth dial, a dial whose stile or gnomon is at right angles to the plane of the horizon. --Hutton. Magnetic azimuth, an arc of the horizon, intercepted between the vertical circle passing through any object and the magnetic meridian. This is found by observing the object with an azimuth compass.

Moby Thesaurus

Cartesian coordinates, abscissa, aim, altitude, aspect, attitude, bearing, bearings, bent, celestial navigation, compass bearing, compass direction, coordinates, course, current, cylindrical coordinates, dead reckoning, declination, direction, direction line, drift, equator coordinates, exposure, false horizon, fix, frontage, heading, helmsmanship, horizon, inclination, latitude, lay, lee side, lie, line, line of direction, line of march, line of position, longitude, magnetic bearing, navigation, ordinate, orientation, pilotage, piloting, point, polar coordinates, position, position line, quarter, radio bearing, range, relative bearing, right ascension, run, sea line, sensible horizon, set, skyline, steerage, steering, tack, tendency, tenor, track, trend, true bearing, vector, visible horizon, way, weather side