equatorial

At or near the imaginary line around the middle of the Earth, or connected with that line.

• The plant grows in equatorial regions.
• Equatorial climates are generally warm throughout the year.
• They studied rainfall in the equatorial forests of Africa.

Opposites: polar

Common phrases: equatorial regions, an equatorial climate, equatorial rainforests

Connected with the line around the middle of a roughly ball-shaped object.

• The sphere has a red equatorial band.
• Rotation creates an equatorial bulge in the model.
• The researchers measured the cell's equatorial diameter.

Opposites: polar

Common phrases: an equatorial plane, the equatorial diameter, an equatorial band

Describing a chemical bond that points roughly along the plane of a ring of atoms.

• The diagram shows an equatorial bond.
• The larger group prefers an equatorial position on the ring.
• Ring flipping changes axial bonds into equatorial bonds.

Opposites: axial

Common phrases: an equatorial bond, an equatorial position, an equatorial substituent

A telescope mounted on two axes, one aligned with Earth's rotation, so it can follow stars easily.

• The observatory housed a large equatorial.
• The astronomer adjusted the equatorial to follow the star.
• Two old equatorials remain in the museum's collection.

Similar words: equatorial telescope

Common phrases: a large equatorial, a mounted equatorial, the observatory's equatorial