equinox

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: e=qui=nox

CIDE DICTIONARY

equinox, n. [OE. equinoxium, equenoxium, L. aequinoctium; aequus equal + nox, noctis, night: cf. F. équinoxe. See Equal, and Night.].

•  The time when the sun enters one of the equinoctial points, that is, about March 21 and September 22. See Autumnal equinox, Vernal equinox, under Autumnal and Vernal.  [1913 Webster]

  "When descends on the Atlantic
  The gigantic
  Stormwind of the equinox."  [1913 Webster]
•  Equinoctial wind or storm.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

equinox, n.
1 the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length.
2 = equinoctial point.

Idiom

autumn (or autumnal) equinox about 22 Sept. spring (or vernal) equinox about 20 March.

Etymology

ME f. OF equinoxe or med.L equinoxium for L aequinoctium (as EQUI-, nox noctis night)

THESAURUS

equinox

aphelion, apogee, astronomical longitude, autumnal equinox, celestial equator, celestial longitude, celestial meridian, circle, colures, ecliptic, equator, equinoctial, equinoctial circle, equinoctial colure, galactic longitude, geocentric longitude, geodetic longitude, great circle, heliocentric longitude, longitude, meridian, orbit, perigee, perihelion, period, small circle, solstice, solstitial colure, summer solstice, trajectory, vernal equinox, winter solstice, zodiac, zone