the equator
noun
: an imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth that is the same distance from the North Pole and the South Pole
The city of Quito, Ecuador, lies very close to the equator.
Examples of the equator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Aurora is typically seen in polar regions at around latitudes of 70 degrees north and south, but during intense periods of solar activity the auroral oval can bulge, with displays then seen as low as 25 degrees north and south of the equator.
—
Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Opened in 1968 on the site of another former prison in Kourou, the space center stands just five degrees north of the equator.
—Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 13 Dec. 2024
On a balmy night in Belém, Pará in northern Brazil, just 100 miles south of the equator and close to the Amazon rainforest, a crowd of over 250,000 attendees assembled in the Mangueirão Olympic Stadium’s parking lot for an unprecedented free concert.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2024
Few people come to Lamu—two degrees south of the equator, a stone's throw from the Somali border, and at what feels like the edge of the world—without being moved by it.
—Selina Denman, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the equator 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Opened in 1968 on the site of another former prison in Kourou, the space center stands just five degrees north of the equator.
—Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 13 Dec. 2024
On a balmy night in Belém, Pará in northern Brazil, just 100 miles south of the equator and close to the Amazon rainforest, a crowd of over 250,000 attendees assembled in the Mangueirão Olympic Stadium’s parking lot for an unprecedented free concert.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2024
Few people come to Lamu—two degrees south of the equator, a stone's throw from the Somali border, and at what feels like the edge of the world—without being moved by it.
—Selina Denman, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the equator
Dictionary Entries Near the equator
Cite this Entry
“The equator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20equator. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share