EQUINOCTIAL

 Dictionary entry overview: What does equinoctial mean? 

• EQUINOCTIAL (noun)
  The noun EQUINOCTIAL has 1 sense:

1. the great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the celestial poles

  Familiarity information: EQUINOCTIAL used as a noun is very rare.

• EQUINOCTIAL (adjective)
  The adjective EQUINOCTIAL has 2 senses:

1. relating to the vicinity of the equator
2. relating to an equinox (when the lengths or night and day are equal)

  Familiarity information: EQUINOCTIAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EQUINOCTIAL (noun)

Meaning:

The great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the celestial poles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

celestial equator; equinoctial; equinoctial circle; equinoctial line

Hypernyms ("equinoctial" is a kind of...):

great circle (a circular line on the surface of a sphere formed by intersecting it with a plane passing through the center)

• EQUINOCTIAL (adjective)

Meaning:

Relating to the vicinity of the equator

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Pertainym:

equator (an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles)

Meaning:

Relating to an equinox (when the lengths or night and day are equal)

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Pertainym:

equinox (either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length)