Meanings
plural culminations
- countableuncountableastronomyThe attainment of the highest point of altitude reached by a heavenly body; passage across the meridian; transit.
- CanadaUKcountableuncountableAn endpoint arrived at after some series of actions or events, or some period, usually after the series or period has ended. The sum of something.
The culmination of this lead happened in 1998 when an informant came forward with details that tied the suspects to a specific disposal location.
2026 August 6, Nicholas Muhoro, “An Ohio Teen Vanished During a One-Mile Drive in 1994. Her Locked Car Was Found Hours Later”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2026 - UScountableuncountableAn attainment or arrival at the highest pitch of glory, power, etc.
- UScountableuncountableeducationA ceremony marking the completion of studies at an elementary school, middle school or junior high school.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Medieval Latinculminatus
- Frenchculmination
- Englishculmination
Borrowed from French culmination, from culminer, or from Medieval Latin culminatus + -tion. Morphologically culminate + -ion.
More words from French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian зенит, кулминация
- зенит (zenit)astronomy: attainment of the highest point
- кулминация (kulminacija)arrival of the highest pitch of glory
Czech kulminace
- kulminaceastronomy: attainment of the highest point
Finnish kulminaatio, huippu
- kulminaatioastronomy: attainment of the highest point
- huippuarrival of the highest pitch of glory
- huipentumaarrival of the highest pitch of glory
- huippuhetkiarrival of the highest pitch of glory
German Gipfelpunkt, Höhepunkt
- Gipfelpunktastronomy: attainment of the highest point
- Höhepunktarrival of the highest pitch of glory
Greek μεσημβρινή διάβαση
- μεσημβρινή διάβαση (mesimvriní diávasi)astronomy: attainment of the highest point
Malay perembangan
- perembanganastronomy: attainment of the highest point
Persian گذر, تکبد
- گذر (gozar)astronomy: attainment of the highest point
- تکبد (takabbod)astronomy: attainment of the highest point
Polish kulminacja, kulminacja
- kulminacjaastronomy: attainment of the highest point
- kulminacjaarrival of the highest pitch of glory
Russian кульмина́ция, кульмина́ция
- кульмина́ция (kulʹminácija)astronomy: attainment of the highest point
- кульмина́ция (kulʹminácija)arrival of the highest pitch of glory
- зени́т (zenít)arrival of the highest pitch of glory
Turkish doruk, zirve
- dorukastronomy: attainment of the highest point
- zirveastronomy: attainment of the highest point
- dorukarrival of the highest pitch of glory
- doruk noktasıarrival of the highest pitch of glory
Ukrainian кульміна́ція
- кульміна́ція (kulʹminácija)astronomy: attainment of the highest point
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with culmination
Cite this entry
culmination. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/culmination
“culmination.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/culmination. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “culmination,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/culmination.
Source: culmination on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.