noun
solstice
SOL-stihs
noun
1
Either of the two days each year when the sun reaches its furthest point north or south of the equator, giving the longest or shortest day of the year.
"People gathered at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise on the summer solstice."
"The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere."
How to Use Solstice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe day of the year with the most or the least daylight, marking the start of summer or winter astronomically.
Common pairings
summer solstice
winter solstice
celebrate the solstice
Word Forms
solstices plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “solstice”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
People gathered at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise on the summer _____.
Etymology
From Latin sōlstitium, from sōl ("sun") + sistere ("to stand still") — the point where the sun's path seems to pause.