azimuth

[az-uh-muh th] /ˈæz ə məθ/
noun
1.
Astronomy, Navigation. the arc of the horizon measured clockwise from the south point, in astronomy, or from the north point, in navigation, to the point where a vertical circle through a given heavenly body intersects the horizon.
2.
Surveying, Gunnery. the angle of horizontal deviation, measured clockwise, of a bearing from a standard direction, as from north or south.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English azimut < Middle French ≪ Arabic as sumūt the ways (i.e., directions)
Related forms
azimuthal
[az-uh-muhth-uh l] /ˌæz əˈmʌθ əl/ (Show IPA), adjective
azimuthally, adverb
Examples from the web for azimuth
  • The number above the beginning of each trace is the source azimuth and below is the epicentral distance.
  • The measured leaf azimuth angles and leaf zenith angles were distributed into bins based their angle values.
British Dictionary definitions for azimuth

azimuth

/ˈæzɪməθ/
noun
1.
(astronomy, nautical) the angular distance usually measured clockwise from the north point of the horizon to the intersection with the horizon of the vertical circle passing through a celestial body Compare altitude (sense 3)
2.
(surveying) the horizontal angle of a bearing clockwise from a standard direction, such as north
Derived Forms
azimuthal (ˌæzɪˈmʌθəl) adjective
azimuthally, adverb
Word Origin
C14: from Old French azimut, from Arabic as-sumūt, plural of as-samt the path, from Latin semita path
Word Origin and History for azimuth
n.

"distance of a star from the north or south point of the meridian," late 14c., from Old French azimut, from Arabic as-sumut "the ways," plural of as-samt "the way, direction" (see zenith).

azimuth in Science
azimuth
  (āz'ə-məth)   
The position of a celestial object along an observer's horizon. Azimuth is a horizontal angle measured clockwise in degrees from a reference direction, usually the north or south point of the horizon, to the point on the horizon intersected by the object's line of altitude (a line from the observer's zenith through the object to the horizon). If north is the reference point (0°), then east has an azimuth of 90°, south is 180°, and so forth through 360°. See more at altazimuth coordinate system.