apex

plural apices · plural apexes

1. The highest or the greatest part of something, especially forming a point.

   the apex of the building

   Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   1. geometryThe highest point in a plane or solid figure, relative to a base line or plane.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   2. anatomyThe lowest part of the human heart.

      B.P. 118/68. Grade I diastolic murmur best heard over apex. Patient well and had no complaints referable to heart. Origin of the diastolic murmur is open to conjecture.

      1951 March, J. H. Lehmann, A. D. Johnson, W. C. Bridges, J. Michel, D. M. Green, “Cardiac Catheterization—A Diagnostic Aid in Congenital Heart Disease”, in Northwest Medicine, volume 50, number 3, Portland, Ore.: Northwest Medical Publishing Association, page 175

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex, end, tip

   3. anatomyThe deepest part of a tooth's root.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex, end, tip

   4. biologyThe end of a leaf, petal or similar organ opposed to the end where it is attached to its support.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex, tip

   5. biologyThe growing point of a shoot.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   6. astronomyThe point on the celestial sphere toward which the Sun appears to move relative to nearby stars.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   7. natural sciencesThe lowest point on a pendant drop of a liquid.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   8. USbusinessThe end or edge of a vein nearest the surface.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   9. mediaA diacritic in Classical Latin that resembles and gave rise to the acute.

      Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   10. mediaA diacritic in Middle Vietnamese that indicates /ŋ͡m/.

       Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   11. mediaA sharp upward point formed by two strokes that meet at an acute angle, as in "W", uppercase "A", and closed-top "4", or by a tapered stroke, as in lowercase "t".

       Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   12. hobbiesThe part of a corner where the racing line is nearest the inside of the bend.

       Drone cameras show that his car reached the apex first.

       Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

   13. euphemisticromanceA woman's crotch and sex organs.

       While his fingers retreated, the ache she felt in her apex had only grown, wanting more.

       2021 December 9, Catherine Edward, Husband Undercover: A Phantom Agent Novel, Catherine Edward, →ISBN

       2 more examples

       Licking her apex, he slid his hand up between her legs and slid his fingers into her heat.

       2014 April 6, Kathi S. Barton, Brock, World Castle Publishing, LLC, →ISBN

       He opened them, and smiled slightly, as he moved his hand to her hip, and caressed his way to her apex, lightly stroking her through her dress.

       2016 February 9, Rhonda Leibel, Princess' Knight, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN

       Synonyms: peak, top, summit, vertex

2. An obstacle for a horse to jump over, consisting of a triangular corner fence.
3. figurativelyThe moment of greatest success, expansion, etc.

   the apex of civilization

   3 more examples

   It would be an intense disgust. The absolute apex of teen angst.

   2002, Jeffrey Rowland, “Day 2 (The Slagathors)”, in Wigu Adventures, page 58

   The pattern has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic civilizations rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Virmire

   Neanderthals force us to question the belief that Homo sapiens is the apex of creation and, more generally, what it means to be human.

   2020 November 7, Yuval Noah Harari, “At Home With Our Ancient Cousins, the Neanderthals”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2021

   Synonyms: acme, culmination, height, peak, pinnacle

4. attributivebiologyThe top of the food chain.
5. A conical priest cap.

alternative Apex

1. abbreviationacronymaeronauticsAcronym of advance purchase excursion (an air fare).
2. abbreviationacronymmedicineAcronym of accelerated peritoneal equilibration examination.
3. abbreviationacronymchemistryAcronym of acetone peroxide.

1. UKabbreviationacronymtrade unionAcronym of Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff.

1. A place in the United States:
   1. A ghost town in Coconino County, Arizona.
   2. An unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Missouri.
   3. A town in Wake County and Chatham County, North Carolina.
2. A community on Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada.